Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul says his country is looking to buy more liquefied natural gas from Canada as it works to diversify its energy supply away from Russia and other geopolitically unstable regions.
In an interview with CTV’s Question Period, Wadephul told host Vassy Kapelos that “of course” there is a market for additional Canadian LNG in Europe. He pointed to Russia’s war in Ukraine, as well as instability near the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, as reasons Germany needs to diversify where it sources energy.
“We do have to diversify, not only because this Russian war against Ukraine, but also with regard to the situation in the Middle East… we know that our supply chains are under threat,” Wadephul said.
He added that Germany is also exploring energy supply options in Nigeria and the United States, alongside Canada. At the same time, Wadephul said Germany intends to accelerate its shift toward renewable energy infrastructure, citing current geopolitical conditions as an added reason to move faster on that transition.
LNG Trade Not Expected To Slow
Asked whether Germany’s renewable energy push would affect its LNG trade with Canada, Wadephul said no, noting that the shift to renewables “takes still some time” and that gas remains a “very needed source” for Germany. He said there is also room for Canada and Germany to collaborate on renewable energy technology, though progress on that front has been uneven.
A hydrogen partnership between the two countries, the Canada-Germany Hydrogen Alliance, was signed in 2022 under former prime minister Justin Trudeau but has faced delays and missed its original goal of beginning exports by 2025. Despite the setbacks, leaders in both countries have continued to voice support for the program.
A Growing LNG Relationship
On the LNG side, Canada and Germany announced an agreement in May involving Ksi Lisims LNG, a project on British Columbia’s West Coast, and Germany’s state-owned energy company Securing Energy for Europe (SEFE). Under that deal, SEFE will purchase one million tonnes of LNG annually for up to 20 years, with deliveries expected to start in the early 2030s.
Canada currently has one major LNG export terminal in operation — LNG Canada in Kitimat, B.C. — which began shipping gas in the summer of 2025. About half a dozen additional LNG export projects are in various stages of development. Industry sources told CTV News that an announcement is expected next week regarding LNG Canada Phase 2, which would double the facility’s production capacity from current levels.
Ksi Lisims LNG-SEFE Supply Agreement
European interest in Canadian LNG isn’t new. In 2024, both Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and then-Polish president Andrzej Duda told CTV’s Question Period they would be interested in purchasing Canadian LNG. However, under Trudeau’s government, officials maintained that a business case for LNG exports to Europe did not exist. The current government under Prime Minister Mark Carney has taken the opposite position, arguing that such a business case does exist.
Wadephul’s interview also touched on Russia’s escalating actions against European countries supporting Ukraine, as well as recent remarks from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggesting interest in exploring Canada as a potential associate member of the European Union.
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