European Union member states reached an agreement in Brussels on Tuesday on an emergency proposal to reduce gas consumption as concerns grow that Russia might ultimately cut off already reduced deliveries. The agreement was announced by the Czech Republic, which is currently heading the EU’s rotating presidency. “This was not a mission impossible!” the Czech presidency wrote on Twitter. The extraordinary meeting comes as Russia continues to reduce gas deliveries into the EU, which had depended on Russian gas for 40% of its supply before the invasion of Ukraine in late February. Although Russia has cited technical reasons for the reduction, many in the EU see the move as a weaponization of energy supplies in response to Western sanctions on Moscow over the invasion.
The battles over the proposal began when countries which do not have a heavy reliance on Russian gas, like Spain and Portugal, started raising concerns about what the 15% reduction would mean for their citizens. “To be politically viable in a context of looming gas shortages, high energy prices and overall recession risks, EU energy solidarity needs to be realistically arranged,” Simone Tagliapietra, a senior fellow at the economics think tank Bruegel, told DW. Those countries have been placated with a number of exemptions and derogations. Countries which are not connected to others’ gas networks like the island nations of Ireland, Malta and Cyprus are exempt and nations can drop out of the responsibilities if they are overshooting their storage targets. “The EU needs to establish a compensation mechanism aimed at providing fair payments to EU-relevant gas supply and demand options made available by certain countries to the most vulnerable ones,” Tagliapietra said. “Now is not the moment to revive an old South-North split and allow Putin’s divide-and-rule strategy to work.” Hungary — the EU’s most pro-Russia country — was the only member state to vote against the agreement. Indeed, last week, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto went to Moscow to try to secure an increase in their supply of Russian gas. When asked about Hungary, Czech Deputy Prime Minister Jozef Sikela told reporters in Brussels he did not want to discuss the position of single state. “We have a clear alignment, clear solidarity, and we want to send a clear signal to the world and to the Kremlin,” he said.
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And were still using gas in 2022 after over 40 years warning of catastrophic climate change ..UNBELIEVABLE .
Russia has already found bigger market in Asia, Africa and South America to replace useless and unreliable EU who change their colours like chameleon each time US order them to do something even if its against their own interest.
So Germany paid Russia billions, put sanctions on Russia and we see how that’s working. Zelensky must be happy.
Would have been better to get a translator for Frau Scheer.
Why can't they get it from Qatar?
10 billion and yet empty,, there is an another pipeline lying next to the Nordstream 1, and Germany chose to neglect it, Nordstream 1, which is at present claimed under maintenance and Canada not any where mentioned in the crisis. Germany need to understand whether it wants to join the Euro rhetoric or welfare of its citizens. ❗
Democracies: Send Ukrainians everything they need pronto; let them put an end to Putin's folly. Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦🇨🇦!!
I would be so thrilled, if Europe went 100% green, stop using fossil fuels.
30 pigs are against one lion.
Europe is full of gerontosexual, homosexual, and transsexuals.
Nancy Pelosi trip to Taiwan challenged who is the paper tiger. It is extremely irresponsible and selfish. She care more her political legacy than the risk of provoking WW3.😊
Too many ads. You are fired.
EU WILL LEARN KARMA IS EXIST
Sooo, still not going green, huh?
👇🏿💩E.U. THIEFS👇🏿
You👹go COLD
YOU SAVE GAS💩👹👇🏿
The politicians have no other option but to kill millions of people this coming winter, so they can keep the sanctions against Russia. Those who are not European Union are the lucky ones.
From my understanding (correct me if i'm wrong) , wars started because the presidents of usa needs to make wars for the profit of military industries who funds for their elections, at the cost of so many human sufferings… how do we keep this happening?
Russia was right, the true enemy is NATO itself on the borders of Russia! Europe is an enemy to its own self! Enemy to its own people just like the United States ! Europe is falling on their own sword and this is only the beginning my friends! This is only the beginning!
Lawlessness rules and wisdom no longer exists!
No one is dividing Europe except Europe itself! Europe is alienating themselves from the rest of the world. Europe has divided its own self by falling on their own sword by providing their own sanctions and by living by their own rules!
Russia was never an enemy to Europe… Only to the Ukraine and that was made very clear and plain! The United States has stoked the fire that will eventually burn Europe!
Europe might as well start growing potatoes like they did hundreds of years ago 🤣 or perhaps they're going to migrate to America looking for gold again?
Europe has always been the pathetic conglomerate of Nations walking around in the darkness like blind Men and trying to control one another rather than live their lives with reason and wisdom!
You made an enemy of a neighbor that you should have treated with respect.
Russia was supporting Europe my God what have you done?
How, as a citizen, am I supposed to know when gas power plants run and when not, i.e. when I should conserve power and when I am "allowed" to run energy intensive devices? Why is there no information available, such as an app and a website? I currently have to guess when I should best start the dishwasher/washing machine/etc., I have to look outside and guess that the fact that the sun is shining means there is currently enough solar power.
Europe seems pathetic without russian gas, look at their leaders faces they are about to cry
Just for your understanding, I'm russian and i witness Putin's whole political career, he is quite liberal he was born in the huge city St. Petersburg, he was working in Germany, he kinda accepted the fact that we russians are behind of Europe, but western leaders made him do what he had to do so long time ago, actually he is not doing anything u do this to yourself, your politicians.
Don't cut the legs of a chair until and unless another chair to sit on it.
But Ursula promised new gas supplies. She failed.
Five and a half months go by, and they still are just talking about things they should do, could do, would do…..and hoping all difficulties just magically go away. <SMH>
Germany went wrong because it did not employ nuclear energy. France did and they are reaping the benefits.
The politicians decided that the common people will save gas.
Like people are splurging at the courent prices.
Why provokasi the russian besar?
Adapt.
As we all know, winter is coming.
Orbán Viktor…the mini diktator in europe and the eu….remélem hogy ha valaha egy revolúció történik meg mint Ukrajnában akkor Orbán Viktornak el vágják a torkát és a fejét föl akasztjak a Budapesti parlament előtt
the guy with the beard:"europe can't transition away from fossil fuels fast enough to be of any good"
The EU:"Hold my beer"
she is a terrible speaker…. should not give public speeches.
Why is the EU lying to their people, they don’t have enough stored gas for the winter so cutting back won’t help, estimates say they would run out in January. Not every country obviously, some are okay and can offset the Russian gas thru other providers…. most can’t.
Don’t worry just ask your government to continue to send weapon to UKRAINE!!!
They need to stockpile on gas for the winter before Russia cuts them off.
Bring back nuclear energy!