Germany’s leader has urged Europe and the United States to think carefully when considering sanctions against Russia for any aggression against Ukraine in a crisis pitting Berlin’s main gas supplier against its biggest security allies. Among a range of possible Western sanctions against President Vladmir Putin’s government, Germany could halt the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia if it invades Ukraine.
Summary
- BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany’s leader has urged Europe and the United States to think carefully when considering sanctions against Russia for any aggression against Ukraine in a crisis pitting Berlin’s main gas supplier against its biggest security allies.
- Among a range of possible Western sanctions against President Vladmir Putin’s government, Germany could halt the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia if it invades Ukraine.
- “Prudence dictates choosing measures that will have the greatest effect on those who violate the jointly agreed principles,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Scholz was quoted as saying by the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper on Sunday.
- According to a pre-release of the interview, Scholz also countered any impression that the United States and Europe could not agree on a joint set of sanctions.
- Scholz rejected a demand by Russia to rule out once and for all Ukraine’s membership of transatlantic military alliance NATO.