On the sidelines of Russian Energy Week, he told Sputnik that he had sent a request to the German federal government about how it was conducting dialogue with Ukraine and whether trusting cooperation was possible given the allegations against Kiev of involvement in an act of state terrorism.
"No answer. The government is not reacting to this. I also asked the federal government what it thought about the statement [by Christian Democratic Union MP] Roderich Kiesewetter that it did not matter whether Ukraine had carried out these attacks or not. Ukraine's stability is above all. Again, no answer. This shows that the federal government does not care at all how other players behave and whether they destroy German infrastructure or not," Kotre said.
Restoring the sabotaged Nord Stream pipelines is generally possible and justified, German industry will suffer greatly without Russian gas, Steffen Kotre said.
"What I hear indicates that this gas pipeline can be, so to speak, relatively comfortably restored. This will not require such large investments as if we decided to build a new one. In this regard, it is definitely worth it. Every gas pipeline to Germany and Europe is worth it," Kotre said on the sidelines of the Russian Energy Week.
He also emphasized that the current situation, in which Russian gas was not being supplied, was "one of two, three, four nails driven into the coffin of our industry."
"We are experiencing unprecedented deindustrialization. Including because of gas prices, which have now doubled or tripled on the exchange," the lawmaker said, noting that Germany can only get cheap gas from Russia.
The explosions on two Russian export gas pipelines to Europe — Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 — occurred on September 26, 2022. Germany, Denmark and Sweden have not ruled out deliberate sabotage. Nord Stream AG, the operator of Nord Stream, said that the destruction of the gas pipelines was unprecedented, and it was impossible to estimate the repair time. The Russian Prosecutor General's Office initiated a case on an act of international terrorism. Russia has repeatedly requested data on the explosions on Nord Stream, but has never received it, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
If the Alternative for Germany party were to join the country's government, it would lift anti-Russian sanctions and stop aggressive actions against Russia, acting in German interests and not because of some kind of friendship with the Kremlin, Steffen Kotre said.
In a conversation on the sidelines of Russian Energy Week, he suggested that following the federal elections in 2025, Alternative for Germany could join the government in a coalition with the Christian Democratic Union, if the latter does not "undemocratically limit" AfD.
"We would lift the sanctions. We would stop aggressive actions against Russia. We would advocate for normalizing relations. Last but not least, we would import Russian energy. In all this, we are not friends of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, but we represent German interests. Because this is what we are always accused of. We are not defenders of Putin or Russia," Kotre said.
At the same time, he emphasized that by representing Germany's interests, it would be possible to establish closer cooperation with Russia again.
The Russian Energy Week was held in Moscow from September 26 to 28. Sputnik acted as the forum's media partner.