European Commission President Usulsula Von der Leyen.Figure: Retrieved from Von der Leyen’s Twitter
According to “Russia Today” TV local time on the 24th, European Commission President Usulsula Von der Leyen (Usulsula Von der Leyen) said that despite the commitment to completely get rid of Russia’s energy dependence, EU countries continue to buy Russian oil on the grounds that it prevents Russia sells crude oil to other countries at higher prices. According to reports, MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski in an interview on the 23rd asked why the European Union did not implement a comprehensive oil ban. Yun asked Von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen said in the interview that the EU’s long-term goal is to stop buying Russian fossil fuels and replace them with renewable energy or liquefied natural gas supplied by the United States. She said Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a mistake in ordering the special military operation once morest Ukraine because he “lost his best customer, the European Union.” Von der Leyen said: “We will never come back.”
And whether a total ban on oil trade with Russia would be “the most effective way to force (Putin) to admit that he has committed a strategic failure,” Von der Leyen said, adding that the EU must not hurt Putin in the sanctions and not itself in the process of sanctions. Finding the “right balance” between taking too much damage.
Von der Leyen explained: “If we cut off the oil supply immediately from today, Putin might be able to put oil on the world market that was not sold to the EU, the price would go up, then he would sell it at a higher price and get war money.”
“The rest of the world must join the US and its allies in blocking Russia,” Von der Leyen said. Large parts of the global economy, including major energy consumers such as India, have so far refused to support Western anti-Russian sanctions, the report said.
Von der Leyen noted that the EU’s energy relationship with Russia is “unique” and that “other countries are watching closely whether we will win the economic confrontation with Russia.”
After the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian military conflict, Western countries have adopted a series of economic sanctions once morest Russia. EU member states have agreed to cut imports of Russian coal and crude oil, but as the bloc discusses a sixth round of sanctions once morest Russia, hard-to-replace pipeline gas remains an obstacle to finalizing the package.
According to a report by “Russia Today” TV on the 24th, European Commission President von der Leyen said that despite the commitment to completely get rid of Russia’s energy dependence, EU countries continue to buy Russian oil, citing Russia’s higher prices to other countries. sell crude oil. According to the report, MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski asked Von der Leyen in an interview on the 23rd why the European Union did not implement a comprehensive oil embargo.
Russia is the second largest natural gas exporter in the world, and 40% of Europe’s natural gas depends on Russia. The picture shows the natural gas pipeline “Beixi No. 2”.Photo: Dazhi Image/Archyde.com