Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during their joint press conference at the Kremlin on July 5, 2024.
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The allies of Russia in Eastern Europe say that Brussels plans to put an end to all imports of Russian gas and energy in the coming years is equivalent to “economic suicide” and a threat to the region’s energy and energy economy.
The European Commission announced on Tuesday planned to remove imports of Russian gas, nuclear energy and liquefy natural gas (LNG) by the end of 2027, affirming that the move “opens the way to ensure full energy independence of the EU against Russia”.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022 prompted the EU to prohibit most maritime imports of Russian oil, coal and refined petroleum products, but the reduction in gas flows has proven more difficult. In 2024, almost 19% of EU gas and LNG imports still came from Russia, according to the European Commission data, although it is down compared to 2021, while 45% of the region in the region came from the main exporter of oil and gas.
The latest EU proposals have already caused a furious response from the Eastern Europe Nations which are traditionally more dependent on the cheaper energy supplies of Russia, and which repeatedly warn the higher energy prices for consumers due to the ban on these supplies.
Slovakia and Hungary, whose governments have maintained warm links with Moscow despite the war in Ukraine, described the EU’s last plans as a “serious error” that would harm the region.
“We recognize the strategic objective of reducing energy dependence on third countries, and Slovakia is ready to work on this with the European Union, but … it is simply economic suicide to agree that neither gas, nor nuclear, nor oil (can be imported from Russia), that everything must simply end and translated by Google.
In this photograph of swimming pool distributed by the Russian state agency Spoutnik, Russian president Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Slovaquian Prime Minister Robert Fico before their interviews in Moscow on December 22, 2024.
Gavriil Grigorov | AFP | Getty images
The Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister, farting Szijjártó, said on Wednesday that EU’s proposals were “politically motivated” and a “serious error”.
“He threatens energy security, increases prices and violates sovereignty. They want us to endure the cost of their reckless support in Ukraine and his precipitable access to the EU. We firmly reject this,” said the minister on X.
Hungary and Slovakia have rejected previous EU initiatives to reduce energy links with Moscow, rather choosing to maintain supplies in the midst of fears of mounting energy costs at home.
The two were also critical of providing more military and financial assistance to Ukraine and have already threatened to have refused to support the regular extensions of EU sanctions against Russia. The two sought to extract the block concessions before approving their renewal, more recently in March.
By announcing its latest plans to distance itself from Russia, the EU declared Tuesday that its “roadmap” to remove all Russian energy imports would first introduce a ban on all imports of Russian gas (pipeline and LNG) in the context of new contracts and existing punctual contracts, which would take effect by the end of 2025, before all the remaining imports are 2027.
The legislative proposals of the Commission, which will be presented in June, will require the approval of the European Parliament and a qualified majority of the Member States, which means that the plans cannot be opposed to an opinion opposite to a few countries.
“We can adopt it without unanimity,” said European Energy Commissioner on Tuesday, Dan Jorgensen, at a press conference, adding: “I hope everyone will vote for this, obviously, but if they do not, it is also ok, it is also part of the European Union that sometimes the majority make decisions if necessary.”
He added that the block was currently in an “unacceptable situation” in which it depended on a Russian state and a chief, President Vladimir Putin, who had “chosen energy armament”. He added that the importation of Russian gas had indirectly helped to fill the Kremlin’s “war chests” to continue his war against Ukraine.
The Commission said in its press release on Tuesday that it was considering a “progressive and well coordinated” approach through the block, the Member States being invited to prepare national plans by the end of this year “explaining how they will help eliminate imports of Russian, nuclear and oil” gas “. It is not known if Slovakia and Hungary will access the request.
A spokesperson for the Commission told CNBC on Wednesday that he “will work closely with all the Member States on the implementation of this plan, in particular with those concerning mainly. This is why we offer a first extent of progressive and well managed management, which is supported by continuous efforts to diversify and better use of energy infrastructure.”.
CNBC asked the Kremlin an answer to the EU proposals and awaits an answer.
