Trump: Germany could soon cease to exist because of its heavy energy dependence on Russia

Former US President Donald Trump has said that Germany could soon cease to exist as a country because of its heavy energy dependence on Russia.

Trump on Saturday said he had told former German Chancellor Angela Merkel that her country’s dependence on Russia’s energy could soon lead to a“surrender” of Germany to Moscow.

He claimed that he had long warned Berlin about such a threat about the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, recalling that he even once gave the then-chancellor a white flag to "surrender" to Russia.

"If you're getting 72% of your energy from Russia, here is the white flag, because you will be surrendering very quickly. Who the hell thought it was gonna happen this fast, right?" Trump said.

The former president made the remarks during a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, saying the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was supposed to pump Russian gas to Germany, would make Berlin even more dependent on Russian energy exports. 

Russia says to halt all gas supplies to European countries until Western sanctions removed

Russia has switched off the main gas line to Europe until Ukraine-related sanctions are removed.

Berlin halted the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, which was designed to double the flow of Russian gas heading directly to Germany, in response to Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.

Trump cited the "bad things" which have happened between Berlin and Moscow in the past as proof that Germany should not have relied so heavily on Russia.

Trump went on to say, “Germany now is going back to the old-fashioned stuff, including coal,” despite its previous pledges to go green. 

“But they have no choice, they won’t have a country, they won’t have a country left,” Trump added.

Earlier this month, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected the possibility of Berlin suspending gas imports from Russia even though only small volumes are currently coming in.

Western governments, not least the European countries, have been experiencing a worsening energy crisis.

Germany, along with other European Union countries, is scrambling to support homes and industries, since Russian energy giant, Gazprom, has drastically cut the deliveries through the Nord Stream 1 natural gas pipeline to about 20 percent of its capacity to the continent in late February.

Report: Germany facing recession amid soaring inflation, Russia energy supply cuts

A European think tank warns that Germany will fall into recession next year, as Europe’s biggest economy faces skyrocketing inflation.

Moscow said the anti-Russia sanctions have blocked the delivery of a turbine needed to stream gas to Europe via pipeline..

Earlier this month, Russia said gas supplies to Europe via the pipeline will not resume in full until the Western countries reach a collective decision and lifts sanctions they have imposed on Moscow.

European countries have been accusing Moscow of using energy as a weapon amid tensions over the Ukraine war.

Russia, however, has blamed the United States for triggering the worst gas supply crisis in Europe by pushing European leaders toward the "suicidal" step of imposing sanctions on Moscow over its military offensive in Ukraine.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk