Addressing the German parliament and before the start of the EU summit in Brussels, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany has freed itself from dependence on Russian gas, and is ready for the coming winter. He stressed today that Putin's Russia is no longer a reliable trading partner.

Schulz assured the citizens that Germany, despite the cessation of Russian gas supplies, has enough energy resources for the coming months, and that the level of filling of gas tanks is estimated at 95 percent, which is what the country was seeking to achieve by the first of November.

He also noted that for the first time gas began to flow from France to Germany, the country will work on a rapid expansion of LNG plants, will soon finish the implementation of new supply contracts, and a special decision will be made to temporarily extend work on three nuclear plants.

Schulz warned against setting a ceiling on gas prices to curb the huge rise in them, saying this can only succeed through close cooperation with non-EU partners such as South Korea and Japan, and may also affect our market position as it carries the risk of producers moving away from Europe.

Schulz opposed resorting to coal-fired power plants, stressing that his government remains committed to clean energy.