Environmental Groups Urge Germany to Halt LNG Imports from Russia

Environmental organizations from Germany and Ukraine are calling for a complete cessation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from Russia. In an open letter to Friedrich Merz, the likely future Chancellor of Germany, these groups emphasize the need to prevent the indirect funding of Russia's military actions in Ukraine through gas purchases.

The organizations have raised concerns regarding the state-owned company Sefe, a former subsidiary of the Russian energy giant Gazprom, which is reportedly sourcing record amounts of Russian LNG for Europe. The letter states that the previous German government had committed to phasing out Russian gas imports, and urges Merz to implement a significant policy shift to stop this indirect support of the Russian invasion.

The signatories of the letter include prominent groups such as Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), the Munich Environmental Institute, Razom We Stand, and Business 4 Ukraine. They argue that the European Union's sanctions against Russian energy resources, including coal and oil, are insufficient if gas imports continue.

Despite the EU's goal to terminate Russian gas imports by 2027--a target that is not legally binding--data from the think tank Ember indicates that the EU increased its gas imports from Russia by 18% in the previous year compared to 2023. Countries such as Italy, the Czech Republic, and France have been particularly highlighted for their increased reliance on Russian gas.

Furthermore, the environmental organizations have expressed their opposition to the renewed discussions regarding the activation of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was designed to transport Russian gas under the Baltic Sea to Germany. They argue that activating this pipeline would further finance Russia's military operations and exacerbate Europe's dependence on fossil fuels, undermining climate protection efforts. Sascha Müller-Kraenner, the Federal Managing Director of DUH, stated that the pipeline should not be operationalized, as it would contradict the EU's climate goals.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, completed but never operationalized, was halted following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Ukrainian government has since prohibited the passage of Russian gas through its pipelines, further complicating the flow of gas within Europe.