The German government is now expecting that there will be regional gas shortages this winter, with one senior politician in the country now saying that the public will soon turn on the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Even if the country itself manages to escape a country-wide gas crisis, individual regions will nevertheless experience gas shortages, the German government is reported to now believe.
Such shortages will no doubt have significant effects on the German economy, with the country having become overly reliant on Russian gas exports which Moscow has begun pulling in response to sanctions placed on Vladimir Putin’s nation as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
While it remains unclear whether or not Germany will be thrust into a nationwide gas crisis, according to a report by Bild, shortages are now nevertheless expected by the national government at the regional level.
To make matters worse, authorities also expect that the country will remain addicted to Russian gas for two winters rather than one, a point that is likely to only increase the country’s economic vulnerability.
Nevertheless, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has remained steadfast in saying that his government continues to support Ukraine’s ongoing campaign to repel the Russian invaders, and will continue pushing for further sanctions to be implemented against Russia, despite such a move potentially exposing Germany to a seismic recession that could wipe around €200 billion off the country’s economy within six months.
While Scholz has said that he will remain committed to supporting Ukraine, other politicians have started suggesting that once winter hits, the German public will become far less tolerant of the country’s pro-Ukraine stance.
According to a report by Der Spiegel, Alternative für Deutschland leader Tino Chrupalla said on Sunday that he expects the German public to have a change of heart on the conflict once they start seeing their winter gas bill, with the group’s leader saying that his party’s more neutral outlook on the conflict will drastically increase in popularity.
“It’s about German interests,” Chupalla reportedly said while emphasising that current sanctions have “damaged German companies and citizens the most”.
“I cannot accept that we as Germany give ourselves so freely to the support of whichever side,” he continued, arguing that, while he and his party condemned Russia’s invasion, Germany as a country should be aiming to bring the conflict to a close as soon as possible through acting as a “neutral mediator”, and not risk potentially escalating the conflict.
“Do we want to risk a third world war by continuing to supply arms and perhaps be recognized as a warring party by Russia?” he asked, suggesting that America and Volodymyr Zelensky should be persuaded into building a ceasefire with Putin.
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