Latest news with #Warnig
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Germany's Klingbeil Rebuffs Calls to Restore Russian Gas Imports
(Bloomberg) -- The co-head of Germany's Social Democrats party and frontrunner to become the next finance minister Lars Klingbeil dismissed swirling speculation over reviving pipeline gas deliveries from Russia after a potential peace deal for Ukraine. Gold-Rush Fever Returns to Historic New Zealand Mining Town What Frank Lloyd Wright Learned From the Desert Bank Regulators Fight for Desks as OCC Returns to New York Tower These US Bridges Face High Risk of Catastrophic Ship Strikes Charter Schools, Colleges Push Muni Debt Distress Near Record Germany largely weaned itself off Russian energy supplies after the invasion of Ukraine three years ago and 'this path must be followed consistently,' Klingbeil told public broadcaster ARD in an interview. He sees no way back 'at all' and added that Germany is far from potentially normalizing relations with Russia due to the ongoing war against Ukraine. High energy costs have been a key concern across German industry as Europe's largest economy is trying to revive growth after two years of stagnation. Speculation over a return of Russian gas imports has been swirling ever since discussions over a potential ceasefire emerged, with some local industry representatives in the country's east saying the cheaper supplies could help reignite momentum. Klingbeil has played a key role in recent weeks — together with with chancellor-in-waiting and conservative leader Friedrich Merz — in pushing sweeping fiscal reforms through parliament to allow large-scale investments in infrastructure and defense. Adding to the recent speculation, the Financial Times reported on Mar. 1 that Matthias Warnig, a former spy and allegedly close friend of Vladimir Putin, was 'engineering a restart' of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The move showed the breadth of US President Donald Trump's rapprochement with Moscow, according to the FT report. 'I'm not involved in such plans, I'm a pensioner,' Warnig told Zeit Online in a response to the article. Warnig, who has been subject to US sanctions, worked for the secret service in Germany's formerly communist east. Putin awarded him a medal of honor in 2012 for his engagement to foster Russian-German ties. Separately, Bild Zeitung reported in early March that Richard Grenell, Trump's envoy for special missions and a former US ambassador to Germany, had traveled to Switzerland several times in an unofficial capacity to participate in talks about Nord Stream 2. Grenell denied toward Bild Zeitung that he was involved. After the FT and the Bild report, at least two German lawmakers voiced support for Germany to consider Russian energy imports once a peace deal has been reached for Ukraine. According to Klingbeil, Germany must avoid repeating past mistakes and becoming dependent on Russian energy imports even after the end of the war. 'We must not become naive again,' he said. Klingbeil, Merz and their main allies are currently in talks to form Germany's next government following the federal election just over a month ago. In the documents negotiators are preparing ahead of a possible coalition framework Russia is singled out as the biggest security threat for Germany. 'Our security is under greater threat today than at any time in decades,' according to a document seen by Bloomberg News. 'The greatest and most direct threat comes from Russia, which is waging a brutal and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine for the fourth year and is continuing to massively rearm.' Trump's IRS Cuts Are Tempting Taxpayers to Cheat Google Is Searching for an Answer to ChatGPT Israel Aims to Be the World's Arms Dealer Business Schools Are Back How a US Maker of Rat-Proof Trash Bins Got Boxed in by Trump's Tariffs ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Putin ally pushing for US, Russia restart of Nord Stream 2, FT reports
Matthias Warnig, a former spy and longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is reportedly lobbying the U.S. to support a potential restart of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the Financial Times reported on March 2, citing undisclosed sources. Warnig, who led Nord Stream 2's parent company on behalf of Kremlin-controlled gas giant Gazprom until 2023, is reportedly trying to establish contact with U.S. President Donald Trump's team through American businessmen. His efforts come amid discussions on ending Russia's war in Ukraine and reestablishing economic ties between Washington and Moscow. The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea were built to supply natural gas from Russia to Europe. The Nord Stream pipelines, fully owned by Russia, were co-financed by five European energy companies. In September 2022, three of the four Nord Stream pipelines were severely damaged in an apparent sabotage attack. Warnig and Nord Stream 2 AG were placed under U.S. sanctions in 2022 by the administration of then-President Joe Biden. Any deal to revive the project would require Washington to lift these sanctions and for Germany to approve the resumption of Russian gas flows to Europe, according to the FT. A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, expressed skepticism over the viability of such an agreement, warning that Berlin's involvement in Nord Stream 2's renewal could "cause huge rifts" with the EU, which maintains sanctions against Russia. Several European officials aware of the backchannel talks "are concerned and have discussed the matter," the FT added. Read also: Two years on, the Nord Stream explosion remains a mystery, deepening European divide We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
