WARSAW, Poland — Russia shut down pure fuel provides to Poland and Bulgaria, prompting accusations of power “blackmail” and an emergency assembly of European Union leaders in response.
The fuel cutoff to Poland and Bulgaria got here after Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned that “unfriendly” international locations would wish to begin paying for fuel in rubles, Russia’s forex, which Bulgaria and Poland refused to do.
Russian power big Gazprom mentioned in an announcement that it hadn’t obtained any funds from Poland and Bulgaria since April 1 and was suspending their deliveries beginning Wednesday. And if these international locations siphon off Russian fuel meant for different European prospects, Gazprom mentioned deliveries to Europe will likely be diminished by that quantity.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned the announcement by Gazprom “is yet another attempt by Russia to use gas as an instrument of blackmail.”
Europe is just not with out some leverage within the dispute, because it pays Russia $400 million a day for fuel, cash Putin would lose with an entire cutoff.
Russia, nonetheless, rejected the concept that it was utilizing blackmail whereas warning it could halt fuel provides to different European prospects if in addition they refuse to modify to paying in rubles.
Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, argued that the Russian demand to modify to paying for fuel in rubles resulted from Western actions that froze Russian exhausting forex property. He mentioned these had been successfully “stolen” by the West in an “unprecedented unfriendly action.”
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki advised Poland’s parliament that he thinks the suspension was revenge for brand spanking new sanctions in opposition to Russia that Warsaw imposed over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Morawiecki referred to as it an “attack on Poland” and an instance of “gas imperialism” whereas vowing that Poland wouldn’t be cowed by the cutoff.
He mentioned the nation was protected from an power disaster due to years of efforts to safe fuel from different international locations.
“We will not succumb to Russia’s gas blackmail,” he advised lawmakers, to applause. He additionally sought to guarantee residents that the fuel cutoff wouldn’t have an effect on Polish households.
Russian fuel provides to each Poland and Bulgaria already had been anticipated to finish later this yr anyway.
Poland depends on coal for 70% of its power wants, with fuel solely making up round 7% of its power combine. Several years in the past, the nation opened its first terminal for liquefied pure fuel, or LNG, in Swinoujscie, on the Baltic Sea coast.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, whose authorities has been chopping most of the nation’s previous ties with Russia, referred to as Gazprom’s suspension of fuel deliveries “a gross violation of their contract” and “blackmail.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”