Brussels has made a “firm decision” to stop buying Russian oil from the end of the year and is in the process of stopping gas purchases, the diplomat said.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell dismissed criticism of the EU’s energy policy. EU countries have halved natural gas purchases from Russia since the beginning of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, Borrell said in an interview with DW media company on Friday, July 29.
“If before the start of the war the share of Russian energy carriers in the EU was 40 percent, now it has decreased to 20 percent,” he said. According to Borrell, it is impossible to “ask from the European economy to stop buying gas overnight – we cannot do miracles.”
Asked why Brussels had not imposed punitive tariffs on Russian gas to reduce the flow of funds to Moscow’s military treasury, Borrell said the proposal was seriously considered but rejected.
Instead, he said, a “firm decision” was made to “stop buying Russian oil from the end of the year, and we are in the process of stopping buying gas.” At the same time, he noted that a further reduction in Russian gas imports will happen “quickly.”
As reported, the Italian authorities intend to completely abandon the Russian gas supply by 2024.
Austria will not support Russian gas embargo – Chancellor
Source: Russian Service DW
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.