Surprise visit of the German minister to Ukraine

In the news on the Spiegel magazine website, it was stated that Habeck, who also serves as Minister of Energy, arrived in kyiv today.

In the news, it was reported that Habeck will discuss the reconstruction of Ukraine, which is at war with Russia, and the issue of cooperation in the field of energy with the Ukrainian authorities.

While confirming the visit, the Spokesman of the Ministry of Economy and Climate Protection did not give many details, citing security measures.

For his part, Siegfried Russwurm, president of the German Federation of Industry (BDI), accompanies the visit.

Germany, one of kyiv’s most important military backers, recently supplied Ukraine with 18 Leopard 2 main battle tanks.

While the energy sector in Ukraine was repeatedly attacked by Russia during the war, the war also triggered an energy policy review in Berlin, which was forced to seek alternative energy partners after abandoning close economic relations with Russia.

Before the Russia-Ukraine war, Germany imported more than half of the natural gas and coal it needed and 34 percent of Russia’s crude oil. Post-war supply-side uncertainties and the EU embargo on Russian energy products led to imbalances in German energy markets.

As Germany grapples with a spiraling energy crisis triggered by Moscow’s decision to stop the flow of gas through the Nord Stream 1 natural gas pipeline after the war, the German government has announced that it will stop buying crude oil altogether. Russian from 2023 under the EU. sanctions

Reassessing its coal and nuclear power policies after the energy crisis, Germany operated 14 units of thermal power plants and prepared 3 units to operate in an emergency. It was decided that 3 nuclear power plants, which were planned to close earlier, in the event of a possible power shortage during the winter, would be kept on standby as emergency reserves.

According to the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, Germany was the country that allocates the most funds to the energy crisis among European countries with 268.1 billion euros. The ratio between financial measures against the country’s energy crisis and national income was 7.5 percent. (AA)