Yesterday, Minister Robert Habeck said Germany was no longer reliant on Russian LNG or natural gas, and urged other EU countries to follow Sweden's proposal for a full ban.

“Yes, I support this,” he stated. “Germany no longer needs LNG from Russia, we no longer have contracts with Russia for its supply,” he continued. Ukrainian press was quick to report today, "Berlin proposes ban on importing Russian LNG to European Union."

"We've heard enough of big empty promises from hypocritical politicians… who speak out one side of their mouth while the other side is directing state policy to buy more fossil fuels from Russia, effectively putting millions of Euros into Putin's war chest which he uses to attack and bomb us every day." - Svitlana Romanko

Yet Ukrainian group Razom We Stand is calling out German leaders for the huge difference between their words and their actions. In an open letter sent today to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Minister Robert Habeck, the group points out that according to Reuters, Germany could be receiving as much as 13.7% of its gas from Russia.

Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Director of Ukrainian group Razom We Stand, stated about her open letter to Chancellor Scholz,

"We've heard enough of big empty promises from hypocritical politicians. Those are the ones who speak out one side of their mouth while the other side is directing state policy to buy more fossil fuels from Russia, effectively putting millions of Euros into Putin's war chest which he uses to attack and bomb us every day.

Why did Minister Habeck say there should be an embargo on Russian LNG gas when Germany actively imports up to 13.7% of its gas from Russia via pipelines from Belgium or France? It's horrific, and we Ukrainians demand a full German embargo right now. Germany must also finally show leadership by example and use its strength to demand that the entire EU, in its coming 14th sanctions package, place a full embargo on European purchase and transshipment of Russian fossil fuels, especially LNG gas."

As ongoing EU discussions heat up about the 14th package of economic sanctions against Russia, tension is building with more and more calls on Germany and the European Union to impose a full ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), including LNG transshipment in ports of countries including Belgium, France and Spain. Razom We Stand also sent an open letter address to G7 leaders, including to the Chancellor of Germany, with a call to plug energy sanctions loopholes against Russia and strengthen enforcement to end the war, which was supported by more than 300 NGOs.

In her letter to the Chancellor, Ms. Romanko also called for personal sanctions against Leonid Mikhelson, and Executive of Novatek, Russia's second-largest gas producer, and Russia's flagship new Arctic LNG2 project. Arctic LNG 2 was placed on the U.S. Specially Designated Nationals List that imposed blocking sanctions on it, and U.S. officials teased additional sanctions against the Russian oil and gas industry, including Novatek’s future projects. However, Germany has not yet matched the strong sanctions of the US yet, and Razom We Stand calls for such actions clearly in their open letter to the Chancellor.

ENDS

Razom We Stand is a Ukrainian organisation active internationally, calling for a total and permanent embargo on Russian fossil fuels and an immediate end to all investment into Russian oil and gas companies by phasing out fossil fuels globally.

Svitlana Romanko was recently quoted on the White House's official website in response to the Biden administration's decision to pause LNG exports and has appeared in top-tier international press, including Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Politico, Bloomberg, The Hill, Financial Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, and Le Monde; a detailed list is here.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact

Jason Kirkpatrick

[email protected]

Head of Communications

Razom We Stand