German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock remarked on Tuesday, that Germany was mistaken in relying on Russia for energy. “Germany was too dependent on Russian energy for too long. For every cubic meter of cheap gas we paid with our security twice, three times over,” said Baerbock at the Baltic Offshore Wind Forum in Berlin.
Baerbock said that offshore wind energy production in the Baltic Sea would be a great opportunity for the region in regards to future energy security.
“When I traveled to the Baltic States a little over a year ago, Russia had just started its war of aggression against Ukraine,” she said.
“As a German minister, I was asked critical questions in the Baltic states. Why did you make yourself so dependent on Russian gas? Why did you build a pipeline in the middle of the Baltic Sea that undermines our security? And the truth is, they were right and we were wrong. Germany was too dependent on Russian energy for too long. For every cubic meter of cheap gas we paid with our security twice, three times over. And this is why we are also here today. And this is why we have worked together with so much power in the last year. Instead of Nord Stream, we are building Baltic power together also for our security.”
The Baltic Offshore Wind Forum is jointly organized by the 10 members of the Council of the Baltic Sea states where Germany currently holds the presidency. Among the topics discussed are the overlap of energy and security policy and challenges in regards to increasing off-shore wind energy capacities.
“This sea, as many of you know, is a treasure, a treasure we all share, but also a treasure we can make better use of, a treasure for green energy,” said Baerbock.
Present at the forum was also the Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.
“Russia’s brutal and also unlawful war in Ukraine has led to a new security situation. It is now more clear than ever that energy policy is security policy. We need to replace Russian gas with European green energy, not least through cooperation with trusted partners,” Rasmussen said.
Germany and Denmark are cooperating on a large-scale offshore wind project which will provide both German and Danish citizens with green energy along a planned cross-border hydrogen pipeline.
Source: TVPWorld