Germany Averse to Immediately Cutting Off Russian Energy Imports, Finance Minister Urges Patience

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner speaks during a budget session in the plenary hall of the lower house of the German parliament, the Bundestag, in Berlin on March 22, 2022. Michele Tantussi/Reuters

Though Germany is moving “as fast as possible” to end its dependence on Russian energy supplies, such a move cannot be implemented soon, according to Christian Lindner, the country’s finance minister.

“We have to be patient,” Lindner said in an interview with the BBC. “We are willing to stop all energy imports from Russia, it’s just a matter of time.”