Sahra Wagenknecht has accused the chancellor of applying double standards to Moscow while damaging the economy with sanctions
Germany’s policy on Russia is riddled with contradictions, veteran German politician Sahra Wagenknecht has argued, accusing Berlin of punishing Moscow over alleged violations of international law while excusing similar accusations leveled against the US and damaging its own economy in the process.
Speaking at a public appearance in Berlin this week, Wagenknecht took aim at Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s support for the Western sanctions on Russia and his stance on international law.
“Russia’s oil and gas are selling like hotcakes all over the world, and we act as if we could end this war simply by stopping our purchases,” she said. “People say that because Russia has violated international law, we must impose sanctions. But when the US violates international law, Mr. Merz stands in front of the camera and tells us that international law is actually outdated. So, for the US, it’s outdated, but when Russia violates it, we have to completely ruin our economy because we have to impose sanctions. Nothing adds up with this policy.”
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, the EU has imposed 20 rounds of sanctions targeting Russia’s economy and energy exports while seeking to phase out Russian fossil fuels.
Russia, however, has largely redirected its energy exports to Asia. According to US Energy Information Administration data, Asia and Oceania accounted for 81% of Russian crude exports in 2024, with China and India emerging as Russia’s largest customers.
Germany, meanwhile, entered recession in 2023 as industries grappled with higher energy costs after the loss of Russian gas, much of it replaced by more expensive LNG imports.
Western governments have accused Russia of violating international law in Ukraine, a charge that Moscow rejects.
Wagenknecht contrasted this with Western responses to US military actions, including recent operations in the Middle East. In March, Merz declined to question the legality of US actions in Iran, arguing that it was not the time to “lecture” allies about international law. Opponents seized on the remarks as evidence that Berlin applies different standards to the US and Russia.
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Wagenknecht leads the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, which has become an influential voice in German debates over Russia, sanctions, immigration, and energy policy, despite narrowly missing entry into the Bundestag in the 2025 federal election.
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