Can it get any more serious than serious? This question has to be asked in view of the escalation of the situation in and around Ukraine. And not just verbally, but actually. In Ukraine itself, every day. But to a different extent also among those who support Ukraine, including in Germany.

The war that Russia is waging is both military and economic at the same time. The top government commentator Robert Habeck is right again. That’s why answers have to be found now; Answers for today and tomorrow, because in a figurative sense, winter will soon be here.

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In other words, right from the start of the Russian extermination campaign, the federal government took a look at the gas supply, in the person of Economics Minister Habeck. In March, he declared the early warning level of the gas emergency plan – and now the state of alarm.

Of course he doesn’t do it alone, a crisis management team monitors the situation every day, which is becoming more and more tense. When Russia is throttling the gas supply; that acts like a noose tightening for Vladimir Putin and his camarilla.

Throttling to strangle Europe’s largest economy – that’s how you could sum it up. Calling this an attack, weaponized with energy, is no stretch.

One thing is clear: Smaller quantities drive up the prices. And when prices rise, fear grows. Not just in industry, but everywhere. The basic promise of the traffic light coalition is linked to this one word: security. This applies both militarily and materially. Things are looking bad, though, and they’re not going to change, at least not for now – not without a miracle of insight. Does one believe that?

The gas storage tanks have to be full, not half full, so that we can get through the winter to some extent, otherwise there is a risk of a really serious crisis. Jobs en masse will be jeopardized without energy security, and Freeze for Peace at home, possibly still mandated by law, is certainly not a convincing or enthusiastic solution. On the contrary. The tenants’ association sees this as the “completely wrong way” – and it stands for millions, for a people of tenants.

Even more costs, who should, who can bear them without complaint? Especially since one thing leads to another here. Inflation at eight percent, an inflation rate that Germany has never had since reunification, does the rest. And everything goes into the money, into your own money, everyone notices that.

The longer the war rages on, the more energy prices rise, most recently by almost 40 percent in one month compared to the previous year. In addition, there are the consequences of the damned corona pandemic, which are often forgotten – a highly dangerous political and social mixture. Already forgotten? Food has also become much more expensive, by more than 11 percent.

Reference is now being made to the government’s relief packages, which are intended to mitigate the price increase for households, i.e. private ones, and for companies. That’s all true, but they first have to unfold their effect. And whether that will stop the rate of inflation – heaven knows. The economists disagree.

It is understandable that in this situation Habeck is calling on people in Germany to save energy again. But it somehow seems helpless, even though the minister emphasizes that Germany is not defenseless in the power struggle with Putin. You want to believe him.

Still, there’s no harm in launching concerted action, now, immediately: an energy summit in response to Russian gas cutbacks. That’s not going to be wrong because Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder is demanding it. Everything has to be considered. unprejudiced. And if it is the extension of the lifespan of three nuclear power plants. Putin is also waging the war economically.