Germany weathered winter just fine without Russian gas, Chancellor Scholz said

Berlin, 2 March (ČTK) – Germany came through the winter just fine, although many had considered it impossible without Russian gas. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said this today in a speech to the Bundestag, describing unity and decisive action as key and thanking Germans for them. He also said that Germany’s gas storage facilities are still 70 percent full, which will help the country get through the coming winter as well.

„We made it through the winter well even without Russian gas supplies,“ Scholz said.

„There was talk of cold apartments, the forced shutdown of entire industrial sectors, a hot autumn and a winter full of anger. None of that happened,“ he said.

Many advocates of energy cooperation with Moscow had argued that Germany and Europe could not do without energy supplies from Russia. They also claimed that autumn would be a difficult time for governments, as protests by dissatisfied residents would break out and intensify further over the winter. According to Scholz, the fact that none of this happened was the result of unity and determination.

Scholz pointed out that energy prices have been steadily falling after their sharp rise, and that extensive relief packages, including caps on gas, district heating and electricity prices, are helping households and businesses in Germany get through this difficult period.

The chancellor told lawmakers that Germany would continue to strengthen its energy security by building clean energy sources. He also pledged to make energy and communications infrastructure more resilient so it could withstand sabotage and cyberattacks.