Russia Blames EU Leaders for Plunging Europe Into Energy Crisis
Russia blames EU leaders for energy crisis; Hungary and Slovakia face fuel disruptions.
European politicians are deliberately plunging their countries into crisis by rejecting Russian energy resources, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed on Friday. Maria Zakharova said in a post on her Telegram channel that the ongoing energy disruptions in the European Union (EU) are not caused by technical failures or natural disasters, but by the decisions of EU leaders “who are simply flipping the switch.”
The remarks come as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU’s position against procuring Russian natural gas, even in the event of a severe energy crisis. The declaration underscores the bloc’s continued sanctions and energy restrictions on Russia amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
The EU stance has faced resistance from some member states that heavily depend on Russian energy supplies. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, in particular, has urged the EU to review and suspend sanctions on Russian energy, warning that rising oil prices and supply disruptions could threaten regional energy security.
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In a video message posted on social media, Orban linked Hungary’s surge in fuel prices to what he described as a “Ukrainian oil blockade” and the broader geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. He said he had written to President von der Leyen, urging the EU to reconsider its sanctions on Russian energy, emphasizing that the blockade posed “the most serious threat not only to Hungary and Slovakia but also to the entire EU.”
Hungary and Slovakia have recently experienced disruptions in oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian crude through Ukraine to Central Europe. The interruptions have sparked tensions between the affected countries and Ukraine while raising concerns over the stability of regional energy supplies.
Analysts warn that prolonged restrictions on Russian energy could exacerbate fuel price volatility across Europe, intensifying political and economic pressures on the EU. The Kremlin’s criticism highlights Moscow’s narrative that EU energy policies are directly responsible for the current crisis in the continent’s energy sector.
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