AfD Says Germany Would Have to Buy Russian Gas From Other Countries, Including Turkey

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Germany would have to buy Russian energy from another countries, possibly from Turkey, instead of becoming a gas hub, the co-chair of the opposition right-wing Alternative for Germany party (AfD), Tino Chrupalla, told Sputnik.

"If Germany refuses to buy Russian gas, it is quite obvious that Russia would search for other partners such as Turkey or China. And after all we would have to buy gas from these countries, but it still would be Russian. We would never be able to compensate for it," Chrupalla said.

The official also said that the European partnerships are becoming strained because of Germany's policy, and that such countries as Saudi Arabia, Canada or Norway, with whom Germany is planning to conclude gas contracts, need energy supply themselves.

"It is still unclear to whom we will sell gas, since we are importing it. The 95% of gas reserves, which we have now [in the gas storage facilities] do not belong to us. They belong to companies that can sell them at a better price," Chrupalla added.

On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he had reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a gas hub, adding that Europe can use Russian gas through Turkey.

Nord Stream Incident

At the same time, Chrupalla noted that Berlin is ignoring calls to involve Russia in the investigation of the incident on the Nord Stream pipelines.

"Sweden and Denmark are investigating attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines. Germany is not currently involved in the investigation. And even if Sweden has information about what happened, it cannot say about it. Of course, this is not the kind of transparency we call for. Russia should be involved in the investigation of the incident, as well as independent parties. This is what we demand, but the German government does not respond," Chrupalla said.

According to him, "the loud silence of the German government speaks for itself."

In late September, powerful blasts and subsequently, leaks of fuel were registered on the pipelines of the Nord Stream network in the Baltic Sea. The system played a key role in the transit of Russian gas to Europe.

Gas leak location on Nord Stream 2

© Photo : Swedish Coast Guard

The Swedish and Danish authorities suspect that the incident was the result of sabotage, but they have barred Russia from joining the investigations.

The Russian Prosecutor General's Office is investigating the pipeline incidents as acts of international terrorism; President Vladimir Putin stressed that it was a deliberate attack against the European energy system, hinting that London and Washington were to blame for the explosions.