Putin wants the world to know Russia is a superpower says expert
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Natural gas storage in Germany falls to critical levels. With facilities reporting storage of just above 40 percent. Markus Krebber, the CEO of the energy supplier RWE warned that if Russia were to turn the taps off the gas pipelines, then Germany would have enough for “only for a very short time. Maybe a few weeks”. As Germany, along with the rest of Europe suffers from a major gas crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been accused of squeezing gas supplies to the continent.
Mr Putin has been pushing for the certification for the pipeline, which will transit gas from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea.
Professor Molly Scott-Cato, a former Green MEP and an economist slammed former German chancellor Angela Merkel for signing a deal with Mr Putin to build the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
While the Kremlin has argued that this can double Europe’s gas supply and ease the surging prices seen in recent months, critics argue that it will only give Mr Putin more control over global energy markets.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, she said: “This is Merkel’s mistake, which was trusting Putin too much.
“I think the new German government is taking a much different stance on that.
“Obviously what we have to do is build up our domestic renewable so that we’re not dependent on gas imported from Russia or anywhere else.
“Past mistakes by the German government have left Europe vulnerable.
“But I think everyone is wise to that now, it’s just a question of now focussing on installing massive renewables capacity.”
Political tensions have been mounting for months around the build-up of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border, there has been much discussion over whether the world’s biggest exporter of natural gas might weaponise the EU’s dependency.
Russia – which is the biggest producer of natural gas in the world – supplies the EU with some 43 percent of its natural gas, according to the EU statistical office Eurostat.
This gives Mr Putin tremendous influence over the bloc, which could affect the EU’s diplomatic or military response should Russia choose to invade Ukraine.
Ms Scott-Cato warned that while building massive renewable energy is one part of the solution, another key ingredient is reducing energy demand.
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She said: “From a green point of view, less is more.
“The best kilowatt-hour is the one you didn’t need because your house was properly insulated.
“Governments have been very slow to this.
“Part of the answer to the crisis is people who don’t have to pay their bills because their house is so well insulated that they hardly need any energy to heat them.
“That’s the real answer. The faster we can get there, the better it is for people’s pockets and the climate.”
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