The agreement was signed by Germany’s Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck on Tuesday, the niezalezna.pl website reported, citing sources in Germany.
Polish Climate and Environment Minister Anna Moskwa confirmed that Poland “is ready to express its solidarity with Germany by means of concrete facts, to support them in departing fully from oil, from Russian natural resources,” as quoted by niezalezna.pl.
Polish-German deal: bringing oil from Gdańsk to Schwedt
Jens Suedekum, a professor of economics and an advisor to Habeck, said that the “reason for Habeck's visit to Warsaw was to strike a deal with the Polish government to connect [German refinery] Schwedt to Gdańsk harbour via the [Polish] Płock pipeline,” niezalezna.pl reported.
Why Schwedt?
The refinery in the eastern German town of Schwedt, owned by Russia’s oil giant Rosneft, is “the last unresolved issue” as Germany seeks to ditch Russian crude following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Suedekum said, according to niezalezna.pl.
To date, Schwedt has imported oil from Russia. The German government has asked Rosneft to switch to a different source, “otherwise the German authorities can expropriate the refinery,” niezalezna.pl reported, citing Suedekum.
From Saudi Arabia via Poland to Germany
Poland emerged as a suitable alternative source after its state-owned refiner struck an agreement to bring Saudi oil to the northern Polish port of Gdańsk, niezalezna.pl reported.
The aim now “is to connect Schwedt to Gdańsk harbour via the Płock pipeline,” Suedekum said, according to niezalezna.pl.
Securing supplies of Saudi crude via Poland would mean that “we kiss goodbye to Russian oil,” Suedekum also said, as cited by niezalezna.pl.
Polish-German oil deal behind Russia’s gas halt?
Suedekum added: “Putin's decision to cut off Poland from gas was, basically, a revenge act against the Płock pipeline deal,” niezalezna.pl reported.
Russia’s Gazprom suspended its gas deliveries to Poland from 8 a.m. on Wednesday, officials told reporters.
The Russian energy giant cited Poland's "refusal to pay for the gas in roubles” as the reason for its move, Polish state gas company PGNiG said.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called Russia’s move “a direct attack on Poland,” but added his country would manage without Russian gas, the PAP news agency reported.
Wednesday was day 63 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: niezalezna.pl, dw.com/pl