Germany Not Expecting End Of Russian Gas Supplies
Berlin, Feb 26: Germany does not expect the end of Russian gas supplies, though the launch of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will not be on the table any time soon, Michael Harms, executive director of the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, said Saturday.
“I believe that there will be no end of gas supplies… I can imagine personal sanctions [by Russia in response to Western sanctions], restrictions in the financial sector, in imports,” Harms told the DLF radio station.
He noted that the European economy has suffered serious damage from the Western sanctions on Russia, adding that Russian counter-sanctions will hardly change the general situation.
Harms also called the Nord Stream 2 pipeline a “good project” that will not be revived for a long time now. On Russia’s possible disconnection from SWIFT, Harms said it will have a negative impact on humanitarian work and on individuals, sanctions should be targeted.
“I believe that the more targeted the sanctions, the better… [Disconnection from] SWIFT is not introduced not because… it affects the German economy, but because it is a ‘carpet bombing’ that will affect many individuals and humanitarian issues. It’s hard to tell what will be hit. That’s why I said that targeted sanctions are always better,” Harms told the DLF radio station.
The decision on whether to cut Russia off from SWIFT will be made within next few days, the media reported earlier, citing the head of one of the central banks in the eurozone.
