Rejecting any responsibility for the record rise in gas prices, Russian President Vladimir Putin positioned himself on Wednesday as someone capable of providing a solution to the crisis, giving lessons to his European clients – and geopolitical rivals.
During an energy forum in Moscow, the Russian president said he was willing to increase gas supplies.
“If they ask us to increase [las exportaciones] even more, we are ready “to do it, declared the president.” We will increase [las exportaciones] as much as our partners ask us, “he added.
He also stated that he wants “a long-term stabilization mechanism for the energy market, which is very important in the current difficult situation.”
According to the Russian president, the European states, to which Russia contributes a third of the gas they consume, were “wrong” by “delegating their energy needs to the invisible hand of the market”, instead of multiplying in recent years the contracts to long term with Moscow.
What is the European Union looking for?
The European Union (EU) seeks to diversify its energy suppliers, both to reduce its carbon footprint and to reduce its dependence on Moscow.
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However, according to Putin, gas is a key source if carbon neutrality is to be achieved. In addition, he announced that Russia plans to achieve that goal by 2060, thanks to gas, whose footprint is much smaller than that of coal or oil.