Putin questions Europe's decision to forsake Russian natural gas
During a meeting with representatives of foreign news agencies, Russian leader Vladimir Putin they argued that he does not understand Europe's decision to give up on Russian natural gas. He particularly pointed out Germany. However, he emphasized that Russia and Gazprom will endure.
According to Vladimir Putin, Germany’s decision to stop receiving gas from Russia through the Nord Stream pipeline is illogical. "I do not understand Germany's refusal," the Russian president noted.
There is no formal logic in this, I do not understand it. Well, fine, we will survive, Gazprom will survive. But Europe needs gas. It has to buy liquefied natural gas, which is transported across the ocean at higher prices,” he said during a meeting with representatives of foreign news agencies, as reported by Kommersant.
Russian Gazprom, after Russia's armed attack on Ukraine, lost the European market as a result of both its steps to limit transmission and Western sanctions.
Russian expert Konstantin Simonov, cited by the Financial Times, emphasized that Gazprom has already lost more than 80% of the European market. At the same time, Europe has debated completely giving up on Russian gas deliveries by 2028.
Before the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Gazprom was supplying 35% of the natural gas imported by European Union member states. This allowed Vladimir Putin's regime to use energy as a means of blackmail against the EU, attempting to prevent aid from being given to the defending Ukrainians.
