Merz: Germany’s energy crisis was caused by the rejection of Russian gas

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has acknowledged that the rejection of Russian gas supplies led the country into a prolonged energy crisis.

He made the statement in an interview with the ZDF television channel.

The remarks about the crisis came in response to a journalist’s question about whether it had been a mistake to make unfulfillable promises to citizens during the election campaign. Merz explained that at the start of his tenure as chancellor he had proceeded from “different premises,” but that the protracted problems had changed the situation.

In addition to energy, the chancellor identified two other challenges facing Germany. According to him, the country is today dealing with a “completely different challenge” from China. Furthermore, Germany faces a “difficult situation” with the United States: Washington no longer provides NATO with support to the same extent it did for many decades.

At the end of June, European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen stated that the European Union would not be able to return to Russian gas supplies under the current legislative framework. The first phase of the rejection of Russian gas began in early summer 2026.

Germany had previously also stated that the anti-Russian sanctions had hurt Germany itself.