Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban Duration, his joint press conference at Kremlin on July 5, 2024.
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Russia’s allies in Eastern Europe say that Brussels plans to end all Russian gas and energy imports in the coming years are equivalent to “economic suicide” and a threat to the safety and energy economy of the region.
The European Commission announced plans on Tuesday to eliminate Russian expenditure, nuclear energy and imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the end of 2027, saying that the measure “paves the way to guarantee the independence of the total energy of the EU of Russia.”
The invasion of Ukraine in Russia in 2022 led the EU to ban most imports of oil, coal and refined oil products, but the reduction of gas flows has proven to be more difficult. In 2024, almost 19% of the EU gas and LNG imports still come from Russia, according to the data of the European Commission, Althegh, which was reduced by 2021 when 45% of the region’s gas came from the largest oil and gas exporter.
The latest EU proposals have already caused a furious response from the nations of Eastern Europe that have traditionally depended more on the cheapest energy supplies in Russia, and that they repeatedly warn about the prices of higher consumers for consumers.
Slovakia and Hungary, whose governments have maintained warm ties with Moscow despite the war in Ukraine, described the latest EU plans as a “serious mistake” that would damage the region.
“We recognize the strategic objective of reducing the energy dependence of third countries, and Slovakia is ready to work this together with the European Union, but … this is simply an economic suicide to agree that Neith gas, nor nuclear, or oil or oil [can be imported from Russia]that everything must end just because a new iron curtain is being built between the western world and perhaps Russia and other countries, “said Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, in the comments informed by Slovak. Google.
In this photograph of the pool distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, shakes hand to the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, before his conversations in Moscow on December 22, 2024.
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Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, on Wednesday said that EU’s proposals were “politically motivated” and a “serious error.”
“Threatens the energy security, increases prices and violates sovereignty. They want us to have the cost of their reckless support to Ukraine and its hasty adhesion of the EU. We firmly reject this,” said the minister on X.
Both Hungary and Slovakia have retreated against previous EU initiatives to reduce energy ties with Moscow, instead of choosing to keep supplies in the midst of fears of growing energy costs at home.
Both also have a vocally critical leg to provide more military and financial assistance to Ukraine and previously threatened have refused to support the regular extensions of EU sanctions against Russia. Both sought to extract concessions from the block before approaching their renewal, more recently in March.
When announcing its latest plans to distant Russia, the EU said on Tuesday that its “road map” to eliminate eliminating all Russian energy imports would first introduce a prohibition of all Russian gas imports (both pipes and Ethy and exist in 2025, before all imports are eliminated in the late 2027.
The legislative proposals of the Commission, which will be presented in June, will require an approach to the European Parliament and a qualified majority of the Member States, which means that the plans cannot be banned by a few countries.
“We can adopt it without unanimity,” said the European Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen at a press conference on Tuesday, he added: “I hope everyone votes for it, obviously, but if they do not, that ever, that is also a kind of sojority of the Zejority of the Zerejority of the Zerejes, as well as the union occurs in the same way.
Hey added that the block was currently in an “unacceptable situation” in which he was in a state and Russian leader, President Vladimir Putin, who had “chosen to arm the energy.” He added that importing Russian gas indirectly helps to fill the “Kremlin War” to continue his war against Ukraine.
The Commission said in its statement on Tuesday that it provides that a “gradual and well coordinated” approach throughout the block, with the Member States that are asked to prepare national plans for the end of this year “, establishing how it will contribute and phases. It is not clear if Slovakia and Hungary will access the request.
CNBC has asked the Kremlin for an answer to EU’s proposals and is waiting for an answer.
