Estonian formin: Efforts to continue flow of Russian gas into EU harmful

European Union has agreed on the goal of ending imports of Russian fossil fuels by 2027 at the latest. Photo: MAXIM SHIPENKOV / EPA / Scanpix

All efforts to maintain the flow of Russian gas into the European Union are harmful on multiple levels, and threats directed at Ukraine are entirely unacceptable, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated.

«It is no secret that energy exports are Russia's main source of income, enabling it to continue its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine,» Tsahkna said.

«Since the start of the full-scale war, Estonia and like-minded countries have focused on reducing Russia's economic capacity to wage war. We have taken significant steps, including imposing sanctions and setting price caps on oil. However, the only correct course of action is to continue down this path and shut down Russia's revenue streams even more decisively. Any steps in the opposite direction are unacceptable,» the foreign minister emphasized.

Tsahkna said that the European Union has agreed on the goal of ending imports of Russian fossil fuels by 2027 at the latest.

«The recent efforts by the Hungarian and Slovak governments to continue the flow of Russian gas into the EU are inconsistent with this goal, as they would only prolong energy dependence on Russia,» he said.

The foreign minister added that the European Commission has confirmed that the interruption of Russian gas transit through Ukraine does not affect the EU's or its member states' energy security.

«Freeing ourselves from dependence on Russian energy is in every country's own interest, as Russia has a history of using energy exports as a weapon. No one should consider Russia a reliable partner,» Tsahkna said. He pointed out that Russia's true nature is exemplified by its current threat to cut off gas supplies from Jan. 1, potentially leaving the residents of Transnistria without electricity and heating.

«Considering all this, Slovakia's threat to cut off Ukraine's emergency electricity supply this winter is utterly unacceptable,» said Tsahkna. «For nearly three years, Ukraine has been fighting not only for its sovereignty but also for the security of Europe and the entire world. In this situation, the only right course of action is to provide Ukraine with full support, and not to add to the suffering of Ukrainians through such actions.»