Berlin, 7 March 2022 (dpa/MIA) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said Russian energy imports are still crucial to Europe's energy needs, as countries supporting Ukraine in the conflict discuss whether to impose an embargo on Russian fossil fuels. "The supply of energy to Europe, for heat generation, for transport, for electricity and for industry cannot be secured at the moment in any other way," Scholz said. Russian energy was essential for daily life, he said, and this was the reason why energy sources had been excluded from sanctions. "It was therefore a deliberate decision to allow the continued activities of German businesses with Russia related to energy supply." At the same time Germany and other countries had agreed on sanctions that were hitting Russia hard, Scholz said.