VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) – The US has fueled the gas supply crisis in Europe, pushing European leaders to “suicide” to cut economic and energy cooperation with Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
Europe is facing its worst gas supply crisis ever.
When asked what would have to happen for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to start sending gas again, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, told Reuters: “Listen, you’re asking me questions that even children know the answer to. Those who started it must finish it.”
He said that although Moscow has been a reliable supplier of energy since Soviet times, the United States has long sought to sever energy ties between Russia and major European powers such as Germany.
“Washington dominance has prevailed,” Zakharova told Reuters on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. “Political forces playing the role of ‘sheep provocateurs’ in the European Union have been brought to power.”
“It’s an absolute suicide, but apparently they’re going to have to experience it,” he said.
The US and EU accuse Russia of energy blackmail after Moscow cuts gas supplies to European customers. Russia said there were technical problems with a compressor station that was blocked due to Western sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
The Kremlin said that the West triggered the energy crisis by imposing the harshest sanctions in modern history, a step similar to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s declaration of economic war.
(reported by Vladimir Soldatkin)
source: Noticias
