Lichterfelde Gas Power Plant in BerlinMOSCOW, Apr 23There is no justification for Germany to impose an embargo on Russian energy, as it paralyzes the country's economy, Martin Wansleben, head of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry, told Deutschlandfunk. The Ukrainian crisis has damaged global supply chains, causing prices for all goods, and not just energy resources, the businessman said. He explained that Germany could not impose an embargo on Russian oil and gas supplies, otherwise the country's economy would be incapacitated. Wansleben emphasized that the fuel is used not only for heating, but also in production, especially in the chemical industry. «If the chemical industry in Germany stops producing, then the wheels in Europe will stop in the long run. <…> In the current situation, the gas embargo would be a disaster,» he warned.Iran listed the problems that await Europe without Russian gasAccording to him, it is wrong to compare the consequences of this decision with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy, since in the case of an embargo on raw materials, the situation will be much more complicated. Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. In response, Western countries announced large-scale sanctions against Moscow, primarily in the banking sector and the supply of high-tech products. The authorities of a number of countries announced their intention to abandon Russian energy carriers. The Kremlin called these measures an economic war, the likes of which have not yet been. The authorities stressed their readiness for such a development of events and assured that they would continue to fulfill social obligations. The Central Bank is taking measures to stabilize the situation on the foreign exchange market. The authorities also announced the transfer of payment for gas to unfriendly countries in rubles. In addition, the government has prepared a plan to counter the restrictions, which includes about a hundred initiatives. The volume of its funding will be about a trillion rubles.
