LONDON/BERLIN -- Germany will seek a complete halt to energy imports from Russia as soon as possible, the country's finance minister, Christian Lindner, said in a recent interview with Nikkei, stressing the urgent need to end its traditional pro-Russian policies, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine shows no sign of ending eight months after it began.
Speaking at his office in Berlin, Lindner vowed to phase out Russian gas and to "become completely independent of Russia as quickly as possible." He listed energy procurement alternatives such as using floating terminals to stockpile liquefied natural gas (LNG) and using more renewable energy, saying, "That is a clear indication to Russia that we're not going to be pressured."
