Energy solidarity within the EU provides for assistance to member states that were most affected by the termination of Russian gas transit via Ukraine, including in maintaining the energy balance and diversifying energy supplies.
This was stated today in Brussels during a press briefing by European Commission spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
This is how the spokeswoman answered a Hungarian journalist’s question about whether the recent EU statement on energy solidarity with member states implies the European Commission’s obligation to force Ukraine to resume Russian gas transit to Europe.
“The High Representative/Vice-President of the European Commission at the previous EU Foreign Affairs Council last week provided a statement of energy solidarity with landlocked EU countries. And that is now a statement we will now implement. Other than that I want to recall our efforts to protect critical energy infrastructure. We have always worked closely with our Member States to ensure security of energy supplies. We have been in close contact with Slovakia, with Hungary, with other countries most impacted by the end of gas transit,” said Anna-Kaisa Inkonen.
She noted that the European Commission is always ready to support EU Member States in their efforts to diversify energy supplies, in line with the RePowerEU plan. To complete this work, the spokeswoman said, the European Commission will soon propose a roadmap for fazing out of Russian fossil fuels.
Responding to a clarifying question as to whether the EU’s energy solidarity statement meant a complete rejection of the idea of resuming Russian gas transit, the spokeswoman recalled that the EU is not interested in increasing supplies of Russian fossil fuels.
“We have no interest in increasing (the volume – ed.) of Russian fossil fuels in the EU. Quite the contrary, we are working on a plan to completely faze out of Russian fossil fuels,” Anna-Kaisa Itkonen noted.
As reported earlier, the transit contract for Russian gas transit Europe via Ukraine expired on December 31, 2024. This development caused a harsh reaction from Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who on December 27, after a trip to Moscow, threatened action “in response” to Ukraine halting Russian gas transit.
In turn, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatened to veto the extension of European Union sanctions against Russia in six months if Russian gas transit via Ukraine has not been resumed by then.
Photo: eumetsat.int
Source: EU responds if Ukraine to be forced to resume Russian gas transit
