Economic think tank links Germany’s survival to Putin’s decision

A halt to Russian gas supplies to Germany would trigger a deep recession and cost half a million jobs, a senior economist has said.

Achim Truger, a member of Germany’s Council of Economic Experts, told daily newspaper Rheinische Post that the country’s industry could suffer serious damage in the long term if the Russian president decides to cut gas exports.

Russian gas accounted for 55 percent of Germany’s imports last year, and Berlin has come under pressure to unwind a business relationship that critics says is helping fund Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Last month, Russia’s Gazprom cut Poland and Bulgaria off from its gas for refusing to pay in roubles, and threatened to do the same to others, raising fears that it could take similar action against Germany.

Al Jazeera