Oslo On his first trip abroad after his vacation, Olaf Scholz treats himself to a short break for further cultural education. The Chancellor visits the modern Munch Museum in Oslo and sees the famous painting “The Scream” by the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. The image shows a human figure under a red sky, pressing her hands to her head while her mouth and eyes widen in fear.
It is symbolic of the dreary world situation, terrified by war, which for many people is just screaming. The situation is serious after Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and the topics on the Scholz trip through Scandinavia with stops in Oslo and Stockholm are accordingly: gas shortages, the forthcoming NATO accession of Finland and Sweden and the debate about an entry ban for Russian tourists dominate the meetings with the Nordic heads of government.
Shortly before the chancellor’s plane takes off in Berlin on Monday afternoon, the amount of the gas levy will be known in Germany. Citizens will have to pay these from autumn as a result of the Ukraine war so that gas importers such as Uniper do not go bankrupt due to the rise in gas import prices.
Landed in Oslo, Scholz says he is “glad that the levy is not as high as expected”. Previously there was talk of 1.5 to five cents, now it is initially 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour.
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But of course there are “burdens associated with this,” says Scholz, repeating the sentence that has now become his crisis mantra this summer: “You’ll never walk alone.” Nobody is left alone with the rising prices.
Norway is the most important gas supplier after Russia
Therefore, after the first two, the federal government will soon launch a third relief package. “Intense” work is being done on it, according to Scholz, which allows the conclusion that the third package could come sooner rather than later.
wholesale exporter
110
billion cubic meters of natural gas
delivered Norway to Europe last year. This corresponds to about two thirds of the previous delivery volume from Russia.
Norway has an important role to play in trying to get a permanent grip on energy problems. Along with Russia, the country is the most important natural gas and oil supplier in Europe and Germany. Last year, the Scandinavian country exported 110 billion cubic meters of natural gas to the EU, almost half of it to Germany. But there is one crucial difference to Russia: “You can rely on Norway,” says Scholz.
Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Norway announced that it would increase natural gas production and export more gas to Europe in the summer. Scholz thanks Norway’s Prime Minister for this. Jonas Gahr Störe returns the praise: After Russia’s attack, Scholz also initiated a “turning point” in energy policy.
“We want to expand and deepen our energy partnership,” says Scholz in Oslo. The Chancellor is asked how important that is. “Very important,” says Scholz succinctly, to underline the importance again.
But Norway will not be able to close the Russian gas gap in the short term. According to Störe, Norway is currently unable to increase deliveries to the EU and Germany. “Norway delivers at most what we can deliver.”
“You can rely on Norway.” Chancellor Olaf Scholz
The day before Scholz’s visit, Norway’s head of government made it clear in an interview that his country must first ensure its own energy supply before it can supply energy to other countries.
The Norwegian government’s focus is on developing the Norwegian continental shelf “to ensure that we can mine almost any profitable resource that has been proven by exploration,” Norway’s Energy Minister said in a recent interview. Some of the companies are now considering projects, but they won’t be able to increase gas supplies until 2024 and 2025.
In addition, the gas is transported from the “Snöhvit” field in the form of liquid gas (LNG) to mainland Europe – and Germany has not yet had an LNG terminal. The first LNG terminal in Brunsbüttel should be ready by the end of the year at the earliest, rather early next year.
Disagreement on entry ban for Russians
In Oslo, the intensified cooperation on energy issues between Germany and Norway therefore remains abstract and primarily relates to longer-term cooperation on renewable energies and a possible but controversial underground storage of carbon dioxide. The possible construction of a hydrogen pipeline between the two countries, which has been under review since March, is also not an issue during Scholz’s visit.
>> Read here: Norwegian energy group Equinor: “We supply as much gas as possible”
In addition to discussing the urgent issues of energy supply, the meeting in Oslo should send a signal of unity. The Chancellor’s visit to the Nordic countries’ conference is a meeting of model Western democracies with a shared strong sense of a strong welfare state. But for the Social Democrat Scholz it is more than that, it is also a visit to friends.
Four of the five Nordic countries – Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark – are led by Social Democrats, Iceland by a left-wing leader. Germany is the “most important partner” for the Nordic countries in the EU, says Norway’s Prime Minister Störe. Scholz praises the cooperation with the Nordic countries as “exemplary for cooperation between states”.
Only once is the social democratic unity disturbed. In Oslo, for example, Scholz spoke out against an entry ban for Russian tourists through Europe. “This is Putin’s war, not the Russians’ war.” You have to make a clear distinction. “All the decisions we make should not make it more complicated for them to seek freedom and leave the country to escape the dictatorship in Russia,” said the Chancellor.
Joining NATO increases Germany’s security
Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin counters: She thinks it’s “wrong” for Russian tourists to relax and have a good time in Europe while their own country is dropping bombs on Ukraine, and is in favor of a visa ban.
When it comes to defense policy, however, the heads of state quickly agree again. Scholz says that Sweden and Finland joining NATO will increase the security of Northern Europe, Germany and NATO.
Störe explains that Scholz made “very important decisions for the security of Northern Europe” with his “Zeitenwende” speech and suggests closer military cooperation. The Norwegian head of government cites the purchase of new submarines or greater coordination of military support for Ukraine as possible examples.
The pictures of Scholz’ stay in the museum are now running through the agencies. Does the chancellor have anything to do with Munch’s expressionist image? The work exemplifies how outer nature becomes a mirror of inner experience. Exactly this trait is foreign to Scholz. He wants to be guided by reason, not emotions, when making decisions. And certainly not from fear.
More: “Task of the hour” – Habeck announces further relief for citizens