Marketplace®

Daily business news and economic stories
Apr 1, 2022

A German perspective on the effects of Russia’s gas-or-rubles stance

This week, Germany has begun the early part of an emergency plan that could lead to the rationing of natural gas. The Kremlin is demanding payment for gas in rubles from countries sanctioning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, threatening to cut off supplies if its conditions aren’t met. We spoke to Stephen Richter, publisher and editor in chief of The Globalist and director of the Global Ideas Center, who is trying to conserve energy at home in Berlin. President Biden announced that the U.S. will release a lot more of its oil reserves over the next six months – could other countries follow suit?

Download
BERLIN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 09:  (EDITORS NOTE: Image was created using a variable planed lens.) The natural-gas fuelled Heizkraftwerk Berlin-Mitte power and heating plant of Swedish energy company Vattenfall on February 9, 2022 in Berlin, Germany. Natural gas has become a central issue for Germany in its policy considerations regarding the simmering situation over the Russian troop build-up on the border to Ukraine. While Russian natural gas makes up half of Germany's foreign gas imports, Germany is also Europe's biggest importer of Russian natural gas. Should war break out and western countries impose tough sanctions on Russia, Moscow could retaliate by temporarily cutting off Germany and other European countries from its natural gas supply. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
BERLIN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 09: (EDITORS NOTE: Image was created using a variable planed lens.) The natural-gas fuelled Heizkraftwerk Berlin-Mitte power and heating plant of Swedish energy company Vattenfall on February 9, 2022 in Berlin, Germany. Natural gas has become a central issue for Germany in its policy considerations regarding the simmering situation over the Russian troop build-up on the border to Ukraine. While Russian natural gas makes up half of Germany's foreign gas imports, Germany is also Europe's biggest importer of Russian natural gas. Should war break out and western countries impose tough sanctions on Russia, Moscow could retaliate by temporarily cutting off Germany and other European countries from its natural gas supply. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Subscribe:

Segments From This Episode

The Team

A German perspective on the effects of Russia’s gas-or-rubles stance