Dutch gas: This is how Germany could survive the winter

Brussels, Dusseldorf Necessity is the mother of invention – and a shortage of energy makes you willing to compromise. In search of reliable suppliers, the head of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, traveled to Azerbaijan at the beginning of the week. The ruler there, Ilham Aliyev, is an autocrat, but the EU, as the visit makes clear, has other concerns than democratic deficits.

To free itself from dependence on Russia, Europe needs natural gas, and Azerbaijan has large amounts of it. Von der Leyen and Aliyev agreed to double gas supplies to 20 billion cubic meters per year by 2027.

Only: The threatening gas shortage this winter cannot be averted with this deal. It takes time to expand capacities. A country that is not suspicious of autocratic activities and that von der Leyen could easily reach by car could provide a remedy: the Netherlands.