Borrell spoke about the difficulties of the EU due to the rejection of Russian energy
The EU's decisions are gradually freeing it from energy dependence on Russia, which “has long influenced its political choices,” Borrell said. At the same time, he acknowledged that the EU is facing “serious difficulties” jpg” alt=”Borrell announced the difficulties of the EU due to the refusal of Russian energy sources” />
Josep Borrell
The rapid exit from energy dependence from Russia creates serious difficulties for many EU countries and various fields of activity, said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.
He recalled that in early June, the EU adopted the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, which provides for a 90% reduction in Russian oil imports by the end of this year. In addition, the EU is also “rapidly reducing gas imports”, and these decisions are gradually “freeing it from dependence, which has long influenced our political choices,” Borrell said.
“Of course, such a rapid exit from dependence on Russian energy sources also creates serious difficulties for many EU countries and various fields of activity. But this is the price we have to pay to protect our democracy and international law, and we are taking the necessary measures to solve these problems in solidarity, — said the head of European diplomacy.
Since the end of February, when Russia recognized the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and launched a special military operation in Ukraine, the European Union, along with the United States, Great Britain and a number of other countries, has imposed several packages of sanctions against it. The sixth package was adopted in early June. It included a partial oil embargo. The ban applies to sea shipments and applies not only to oil in its pure form, but also to mixtures— so-called blends.
Against the backdrop of sanctions against Russia, annual inflation in the euro area reached a record 8.6% in June. Most of all in the eurozone energy has risen in price— by 41.9% in annual terms.
The Russian authorities have repeatedly called the restrictive measures announced against the country illegal and promised to respond to them. In particular, against the backdrop of a freeze of almost half of the Central Bank's gold and foreign exchange reserves abroad, President Vladimir Putin converted payments for Russian gas into rubles. Speaking about the rise in prices in Europe, he noted that it was not the actions of Russia in Ukraine that led to it, but the systemic mistakes of the United States and the European Union in economic policy.
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