Berlin confirms decision to 'cut dependence' on Russia, starting with coal

The German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, today confirmed her government's determination to "completely cut energy dependence" on Russia, which would begin with coal, to be followed by oil and gas.

Baerbock explained that this is the joint position in the EU, in an appearance alongside her French colleague, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the country that holds the rotating presidency of the EU bloc, she recalled, while Germany holds the presidency of the G7, she added.

The embargo on Russian coal imports is one of the measures being considered in the new package of sanctions against Russia, the fifth since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The aim of the package is to "hit" the Russian energy sector and "mainly" its coal, the economic vice-president of the EU executive, Valdis Dombrovskis, confirmed from Luxembourg, after the meeting of EU Economy and Finance ministers (Ecofin).

The tougher sanctions against Moscow are a response to the "brutality" embodied in the killing of civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha in the Kiev region.

With this action, Russia has made its "war crimes" against the Ukrainian population "a daily reality", Baerbock said.

Germany had categorically rejected the possibility of immediately cutting off oil, gas and coal imports from Russia because of its heavy energy dependence on Moscow.

Particularly complex for the country is the issue of gas, as 55% of its imports come from Russia.

The government of the Social Democrat Olaf Scholz, with the Greens and Liberals as partners, has committed itself to gradually reducing these imports, which is mainly the responsibility of Robert Habeck, Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate, who, like Baerbock, is a member of the Green Party.