“Doing nothing is not an option”

Berlin Siegfried Russwurm, President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), is concerned about Germany’s dependence on Russian energy supplies. “We have to overcome this dependency as quickly as possible,” Russwurm told Handelsblatt.

The framework conditions for security of supply “changed fundamentally” within hours, he said. “We have to deal intensively with the question of how we can bridge times without wind and solar power in the future.” One must examine “whether it is actually possible to bring forward the phase-out of coal without endangering the security of supply”.

Russwurm welcomed the economic sanctions against Russia. “Even if, in the end, Putin is unfazed by the sanctions, doing nothing is not an option,” he said.

The BDI President called the planned exclusion of several Russian banks from the Swift payment system “wise and appropriate”. Russwurm warned, however, to proceed in a targeted manner: “After all, food exports to Africa should remain just as possible as donations for humanitarian organizations in the war zone.”