The Energy and Natural Resources Committee member says Biden’s unwillingness to produce oil leaves the U.S. vulnerable to decisions made by other countries on “Cavuto: Coast to Coast”.
The European Union urges its member states to consider reducing their gas use by 15% in the coming months, as the bloc prepares for the possibility of Russia cutting off its natural gas supply during the winter.
“Russia is blackmailing us. Russia is using energy as a weapon. And so in any case, whether it’s a major partial cut in Russian gas or a total cut in Russian gas, Europe has to be prepared, “Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. he said Wednesday during a press conference.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the left and European Green Pact Commissioner Frans Timmermans speak at a press conference at EU headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday 20 July of 2022. (AP Photo / Virginia Mayo / AP Newsroom)
While the initial cuts would be voluntary, the Commission also called for the power to impose mandatory reductions across the bloc in the event of an EU-wide emergency caused by what von der Leyen considers the deliberate attempt of Russian President Vladimir Putin to turn gas exports into a weapon.
“We have to be proactive. We have to prepare for a possible total disruption of Russian gas. And this is a likely scenario. This is what we have seen in the past,” von der Leyen said, adding that Gazprom, controlled by the Kremlin, he demonstrated. little interest in market forces and instead played a political game to drown the EU.
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The European Commission noted that its proposed target of saving 15% in gas use by next March would require EU countries as a whole to triple the rationing achieved so far since the Russian invasion began. Ukraine on February 24.
EU economic forecasts last week showed that Russia’s war in Ukraine is expected to wreak havoc on the economic recovery in the foreseeable future, with lower annual growth and record inflation. Interruptions in Russian energy trade threaten to provoke a recession on the bloc just as it is recovering from a pandemic-induced fall.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the EU has approved bans on Russian coal and most oil to take effect later this year, but did not include natural gas because the 27-nation bloc depends on gas for food factories, generate electricity and heat homes. Now, von der Leyen is convinced that Putin will cut off gas anyway to try to wreak havoc on Europe and politics this winter.
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“Putin is trying to push us this winter, and that will fail dramatically if we stay together,” von der Leyen said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.