Kremlin Responds to Trump’s Calls for EU to Cut Russian Energy Ties
Dmitry Peskov stated that Trump is pursuing US economic interests by urging Europe to shift to American oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG)
Russia, PUREWILAYAH.COM - The Kremlin responded on Wednesday to US President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for European Union member states to stop importing Russian energy.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Trump is pursuing US economic interests by urging Europe to shift to American oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
“Trump has never hidden his intention to secure US economic interests. The simplest way is to force the entire world to pay more for American oil and LNG,” Peskov told the Russian daily RBK.
He described the US president as “a businessman,” citing a well-known satirical expression, “He wants Europeans to buy small crayfish for five rubles instead of large ones for three.”
US Pressure and Sanctions
The remarks came after Trump linked his call for Europe to halt Russian imports with potential new sanctions.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, he warned that Washington was prepared to impose “a very strong round of powerful tariffs” on Russia’s trade partners unless the EU complied or Moscow agreed to a settlement regarding the Ukraine conflict.
Peskov said Trump had “already largely succeeded” in steering European energy purchases toward the United States but noted that the shift had placed pressure on state budgets and taxpayers across the EU.
He added that Russia has redirected its energy exports to alternative markets, including China and India, reducing the impact of Europe’s reduction in purchases.
EU Energy Policy
The European Union has sharply reduced reliance on Russian fossil fuels since 2022 and aims to phase them out entirely by 2027. However, several member states, including Hungary and Slovakia, remain heavily dependent on Russian energy supplies.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reaffirmed on Tuesday that Budapest could not switch suppliers due to existing infrastructure and contractual commitments.
Moscow has described US demands to end Russian energy imports as “threats,” warning they could undermine European energy security and increase costs through intermediary suppliers. (PW)
Source: RT