Germany needs diesel deal with Russia — politician
Quick Look
- Sahra Wagenknecht, founder of Germany's BSW party, called on the German government to strike a diesel deal with Russia and abandon anti-Russian sanctions, citing US diesel imports from Russia as a precedent.
- She warned that current sanctions are harming Germany's economy and driving up fuel prices, and noted her party's joint resolution with AfD in Saxony-Anhalt's state parliament to lift sanctions and support diplomatic resolution of the Ukraine conflict.
- The appeal follows a October 9 call between Putin and Trump discussing petroleum supplies, with Russia ready to increase diesel exports and the US issuing a license for Russian diesel supplies until April 2027.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Sahra Wagenknecht founded the BSW party after leaving the Left party. Germany has maintained sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, while the US has issued licenses for Russian diesel exports to global markets.
BERLIN, October 12. /TASS/. Sahra Wagenknecht, the founder of Germany’s BSW party (formerly known as the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance - Reason and Justice party), has called on the German government to strike a diesel deal with Russia, as the United States has done, and to abandon the anti-Russian sanctions.
"This is utter madness - the US administration is again importing diesel from Russia in an effort to curb the rapidly growing fuel prices for American consumers. But the German government continues to adhere to its futile sanctions policy, which is driving our economy toward collapse and making our citizens increasingly poorer," she wrote on X.
She noted that fuel prices in Germany are too high. "Germany also needs a diesel deal with Russia and, more broadly, the resumption of Russian oil and gas supplies," she stated. "There is no way to halt the decline of our industry without affordable energy sources from Russia," Wagenknecht emphasized.
She recalled that on Wednesday, Saxony-Anhalt’s state parliament will vote on a joint resolution put forward by her party and Alternative for Germany, which calls on the German government to lift sanctions against Russia and support diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a phone call on October 9, during which they discussed, among other things, petroleum product supplies. The Russian president said that Moscow had reiterated its readiness to supply oil and petroleum products to the United States and global markets. According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Russia will lift its ban on diesel exports ahead of schedule and is ready to supply 300,000 tons of diesel in October, increasing the volume to 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons in December. Monthly supplies could subsequently reach 3 million tons. The US administration, in turn, issued a general license authorizing Russian diesel supplies to the global market until April 7, 2027.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Saxony-Anhalt's state parliament will vote on the joint resolution to lift sanctions against Russia
Very likely · Within days
Russia will increase diesel exports to global markets as stated by Alexander Novak
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- Will the German government respond to Wagenknecht's call for a diesel deal with Russia?
- How will the joint resolution in Saxony-Anhalt's state parliament vote on lifting sanctions?
- What impact would lifting sanctions have on Germany's energy security and industry?
