German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht has brought up a halt to Russian gas supplies in response to indications of a Russian massacre in the Kiev suburb of Bucha. “There has to be a reaction. Such crimes must not go unanswered,” she said according to the advance notice on the ARD program “Report from Berlin”, which was to be broadcast on Sunday evening.
In the circle of EU ministers, a stop to gas deliveries “must be discussed with one another,” said Lambrecht in response to a corresponding question. “That was our strength, that individual countries did not push ahead, but that we agreed with each other on what is sustainable,” Lambrecht continued. “It must be the same in the next few hours.”
So far, Germany has been one of the brakemen within the European Union when it comes to a gas boycott. Austria, which is massively dependent on Russian gas, is also opposed to such considerations. Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) even said that an oil and gas boycott was out of the question for Austria because it was like “shooting yourself in the left and right leg at the same time”.
In view of the latest developments, the chairman of the Christian Democrats in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber (CSU), called for a drastic tightening of the sanctions against Russia. “It is high time to end coal and oil supplies from Russia and to increase arms supplies to Ukraine,” Weber told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
“We must not close our eyes to this incredible horror,” continued Weber. “The war has reached a new level with the newly discovered Russian war crimes.” The international community must tighten the sanctions.