Rep. Fallon to Newsmax: Germany Ignored Trump's Warning on Russian Oil (Newsmax/"Wake Up America")
By Sandy Fitzgerald | Sunday, 04 September 2022 11:00 AM EDT
Former President Donald Trump four years ago warned Germany, in a speech at the United Nations, against being too reliant on Russia for their energy needs, but they were "insulted" and didn't heed his warning, and now it is in a dire situation, Rep. Pat Fallon said on Newsmax Sunday.
"They were insulted, but now look at the situation that the Germans have gotten themselves into," the Texas Republican said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "If you look at their price per megawatt, in 2020 for the four months between April and July, and you look at it just two years later, it is 10 times more expensive in Germany right now because they were closing down their power plants and becoming far too dependent on Russia."
His comments come after Russia announced that the Nord Stream pipeline will remain shut down indefinitely, and as lower gas flows before and during the invasion of Ukraine pushed Europe's price up by 400%, leading to the spike in electricity costs.
Europe is accusing Russia of weaponizing the energy supplies, while Moscow is blaming the issue on Western sanctions and supply disruptions.
Nord Stream, which goes under the Baltic Sea to take gas to Germany, was already at 20% of capacity before the flows were shut off last week. Gas from it represents about a third of what's normally exported from Russia to Europe.
"Russia is using energy as a political weapon," Fallon said. "They claim they're not but of course they are. That's why President Trump refused the Nord Stream 2 pipeline but President Biden pulled the sanctions from it and then he had to reinstate President Trump's policies."
Meanwhile, the United States has lost its energy independence under Biden, driving gas prices up this summer, but Fallon said that can be reversed.
"What we need Biden to do is first of all end the freeze on gas and oil exploration on federal lands and seas, stop the regulatory assault, expedite all energy and pipeline projects, and not only issue leases but also permits because leases without permits don't do any good," said Fallon. "He can also fast track liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporting permits but he doesn't do that."
But, he added, it's "unbelievable what Biden has done."
"We can be energy independent," the congressman said. "Trump proved that but Biden has just rolled back the clock, particularly at a time when Europe needs the energy and we have it."
But, the United States does not have any product to sell because of the policies Biden has enacted in his first 20 months of office, said Fallon.
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