Berlin/Washington. German employers and unions signed a joint statement against the Russian gas embargo.
They argue that the German economy would not support it.
“The gas embargo will result in production losses, factory closures, further deindustrialization and job losses,” they warn.
“In the coming months we will have many problems to solve. We cannot act from a position of weakness.”
The presidents of the two associations, Rainer Dulger and Rainer Hoffmann stressed that the sanctions must be very targeted in order to put pressure on the target, but avoiding damage to the German economy.
German government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner made it clear earlier that authorities in Berlin oppose the immediate imposition of an embargo on Russian oil and gas supplies.
Despite the above, Foreign Minister Olaf Scholz has indicated on several occasions that his executive has implemented a strategy of progressive reduction of dependence on these raw materials.
For his part, Robert Habeck, vice-chancellor and economy minister, announced the implementation of an emergency plan in the event that Russia stops exporting gas and oil to Germany.
According to Habeck’s official forecasts, Germany will not be able to achieve its independence from Russian gas until the summer of 2024.
Enric Juliana, deputy director of La Vanguardia, wrote a tweet on the subject: Here, in all its crudeness, is one of the keys to the war in Ukraine. Putin knew where he hit”:
Planes
Ukraine received combat aircraft and spare parts to strengthen its aviation, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said yesterday, without specifying how many, what type of aircraft and their origin. “Today they have more warplanes at their disposal than two weeks ago,” the spokesman told reporters. For its part, Germany will continue to support Ukraine militarily and financially, although it has practically exhausted the weapons it can supply from its own stockpiles and is instead working with the arms industry, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said yesterday during a virtual meeting with Ukraine. heads of state of the United Kingdom, Poland, the United States, France and Japan.
“We will provide the necessary money for the purchase,” Scholz said. “The goal is to strengthen the Ukrainian Army.”