The Chancellor’s government statement focuses on the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The war also hit Germany hard, but at the same time it became clear that Putin underestimated Ukraine and the cohesion of Europe.
According to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Russian President Vladimir Putin has failed in all of his goals in the war in Ukraine. “Not a single one of Putin’s plans worked,” said Scholz in a government statement in the Bundestag. Putin had “fundamentally miscalculated”. He believed his troops would overrun Ukraine within days. He assumed that Europe and the democratic West were too divided to effectively help Ukraine. “He thought he could dry up Europe’s solidarity by turning off the gas supply.”
Putin was wrong – “about the courage of the Ukrainians, about Europe, about us, about the character of our democracies, about our will to resist great power mania and imperialism,” said Scholz. “This is the real story of this year 2022. Ukraine is resisting Russian aggression, but the West has also accepted the challenge.
“Together with our friends and partners, we have resolutely supported Ukraine – financially, humanitarianly and with weapons. We will continue this support – for as long as it is needed,” affirmed the Chancellor, who at the same time emphasized: “In these A particularly difficult year is coming to an end.” Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is a terrible turning point.
At the same time, Scholz confirmed Germany’s skeptical attitude towards a European gas price cap. “There are no simple immediate solutions. For example, we cannot intervene in prices in such a way that too little gas is delivered to Europe.” This insight is also important for the understanding that the EU Energy Council continued to work on on Tuesday. However, Scholz said he was sure that there would be a good and pragmatic understanding.
The EU countries were again unable to agree on a European gas price cap, partly because of Germany’s reservations. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck said that progress had also been made on technical issues and the structure of the mechanism at the special meeting of energy ministers. It is still unclear how high the price should be. This question should be clarified at the next meeting of energy ministers on Monday.
Under pressure from a large number of countries, the EU Commission proposed capping the price for gas sold at the TTF wholesale site at EUR 275 per megawatt hour under certain circumstances.
Scholz also referred to major advances in energy security. Nothing proves that as clearly as the opening of the first floating terminal for liquid gas on Saturday in Wilhelmshaven. The next terminals followed shortly. Scholz thanked all workers and engineers who had achieved “this great achievement” in record time. “We also have them to thank for getting us through the winter well this year.”
