Following the interruption of gas supplies to Germany from Russia, fears linger over the speculation that a difficult winter lies ahead. A state of existential angst has mired the German capital in recent times, with many now making practical preparations for a troubling winter. Russian President Vladimir Putin has long used Russian gas as a political weapon, and following extreme western sanctions on his country following its invasion of Ukraine, many now see this as Putin’s act of retaliation. Since March, the flow of Russian gas supplies to Germany has been punctuated, with reports now indicating that it will not fully resume.

Deutsche Bank elucidated these fears last week, stating that “there are lots of elements of uncertainty, especially with respect to our assumptions on supply from other countries and demand”. However, Germany has attempted to wane itself off Russian gas following the invasion of Ukraine, and has already begun stockpiling supplies ready for when the flow of Russian gas is totally stemmed. Debates have subsequently ensued over how current energy supplies will be fairly distributed, particularly with the colder, darker months soon to be upon us. Klaus Müller, a member of Germany’s Green Party, maintains that it must be private households that should be supplied first. Further, Verena Bentele, president of VdK, a social welfare association, highlights that families with young children, those with disabilities, the elderly, the chronically ill, and those in need of special care, are often existentially dependent on secure gas supplies and must therefore be prioritised.

It’s therefore clear that the imminent cutting off of Russian gas supplies, inaugurated by President Putin as part of his political games, will likely have disastrous consequences for Germany and wider Europe, but particularly for those who are most vulnerable in our society. Whilst becoming less dependent on Russian gas will secure a more prosperous and sustainable future for Europe when it comes to energy supplies, the reality is that such a plan was not initiated early enough for sufficient supplies to be compiled for the upcoming winter months. The aforementioned most vulnerable must therefore be prioritised in terms of current gas supply distribution, and it must unequivocally be the case that nobody is excluded due to an inability to afford supplies, particularly as ordinary citizens are in no way to blame for the general quagmire surrounding this current situation.

Germany reports that in recent months approximately 40% of the usual volume of gas has been delivered to the country from Russia. Its substantial dependency on Russia’s energy supplies has certainly been made known, with roughly half of all German homes supplied with gas controlled by Russian corporations. Despite Germany’s desperate attempts to reduce the country’s reliance on Russian gas, Germany still needs it, at least for now. However, this has resulted in dramatic price hikes for the consumer when it comes to gas and oil, with the Federal Network Agency, a government regulator responsible for gas distribution, now reporting that private customers in Germany should be prepared for their gas costs to triple.

Nervous times unfortunately lie ahead for Germany, and for much of Europe, which is also heavily reliant on Russia for its gas and energy supplies. Abating the nation’s inherent need for Russian gas is certainly something that will be of great benefit to Germany in the long-term. It’s clear that a country as politically volatile as Russia cannot be relied upon for such service. Many have consistently argued that such a move should have happened much earlier, even after Russia’s annexation of Crimea back in 2014, yet then-Chancellor Angela Merkel controversially tightened Germany’s relationship with Russia, allowing the Nord-Stream 2 project to go ahead, giving Russia more soft power within the central European region. Whilst a dark winter lies ahead, Germany’s ebbing of its attachment to Russian gas will undoubtedly ensure that there is light at the end of the tunnel.