EU should reduce usage of Russian gas as missiles hit Ukraine

On Tuesday, as missile strikes on the Black Sea coast of Ukraine raised questions about a grain export agreement, the European Union decided to cut its gas use in order to minimise its reliance on Russia. \

As Turkey announced that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would be meeting in Russia next week, efforts were made to assist Germany in weaning itself off Russian gas for the winter.

Just as the EU took another significant step to sever ties with Moscow, Erdogan wants Turkey, which enjoys cordial relations with both Moscow and Kyiv, to be at the centre of diplomatic attempts to put an end to the five-month conflict.

Energy ministers in Brussels accepted a reduction in EU gas consumption, which was lauded as an effective reaction to Russia’s use of its energy resources as a financial weapon. Although certain nations were given exceptions and Hungary rejected the agreement as “useless,” the plan’s stated goal is for EU countries to cut their gas use by 15% during the winter.

Jozef Sikela, the minister of industry for the Czech Republic, which is now holding the rotating EU presidency, stated that “we have made a significant step toward guaranteeing gas supply for our population and economies for the approaching winter.” He continued, “I realise the choice was not simple, but I believe in the end, everyone understands that this sacrifice is required.

Budapest further isolated itself as the sole member state unwilling to take action against Russia because Hungary was the only nation to oppose the plan, which was approved by a majority vote. According to Peter Szijjarto, foreign minister of Hungary, “This is an unreasonable, pointless, unenforceable, and damaging proposition that utterly overlooks national interests.” The agreement “aims to save the credibility of some Western European politicians” and “serves merely communicative objectives,” he continued.