Germany’s Hard Choice: How to Balance Short-Term Energy Needs and Long-Term Security

Originally aired September 7, 2022

Germany accounts for 20% of the EU’s economy but has no domestic energy source, leaving it deeply exposed to Russia’s weaponization of natural gas supplies following the invasion of Ukraine. Part of SSF’s Leadership in Our Time series, this conversation examines Germany’s hard choice: balancing short-term energy needs against long-term security, and what it means for Europe and the Western Alliance.

Speakers

Jens Spahn

Shadow Minister for Energy, Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Germany; Former Federal Minister of Health

Jens Spahn is a leading figure in Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), serving as shadow minister for energy at the time of this conversation. He previously served as Federal Minister of Health from 2018 to 2021 and brings a senior political perspective to Germany’s energy security dilemma in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

András Simonyi (Host)

Former Ambassador of Hungary to the United States; Host, Leadership in Our Time

András Simonyi served as Hungary’s Ambassador to the United States and to NATO. He is the former Managing Director of the Center for Transatlantic Relations at SAIS Johns Hopkins University and host of SSF’s Leadership in Our Time series, convening global leaders on security, democracy, and sustainability.