Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman argues decision to halt Russian gas supplies via Ukraine diminishes Europe's economic potential
Russia on Thursday accused the West, particularly the US and certain European authorities, and Kyiv of being responsible for the decision to halt Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine.
On Wednesday, a five-year deal between Moscow and Kyiv on the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine expired as the latter refused to extend the deal amid the ongoing war between the two countries, which began on Feb. 24, 2022.
Ukrainian officials have voiced that Kyiv would not extend the deal with Russia, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying that they will not allow Moscow to "earn additional billions" amid the ongoing war.
Meanwhile, earlier last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the deal as "clearly history," but that the country's energy giant Gazprom "will survive" despite its expiration.
A written statement by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Ukraine refused to extend the agreement despite Gazprom fulfilling its contractual obligations under the deal.
“This move to cease the supply of competitive and environmentally friendly Russian source of energy both diminishes Europe's economic potential and severely affects the quality of life for European citizens,” Zakharova said.
Zakharova argued that the geopolitical context behind Ukraine's decision to not extend the deal is based on the US being the “primary beneficiary of the redistribution of the energy market in Europe, as well as the core sponsor of the Ukrainian crisis.”
She further argued that Germany has become the first to be affected by this, as Berlin purchased natural gas at “significantly higher prices” following the Nord Stream pipeline explosions in September 2022.
“Germany also had to start shutting down a number of its major legendary production facilities. Now other nations that were once part of the economically thriving and independent European Union will also bear the consequences of the US sponsorship,” she also said.
She went on to claim that the responsibility for halting Russian gas supplies to Europe lies entirely with the US, Ukraine, and European authorities that “chose financial support for the American economy over the well-being of their citizens.”
