After three years of war in Ukraine, the figures are discouraging from a European and Ukrainian perspective. Since Russia's invasion, EU countries have spent more money overall on buying fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas in Russia than they have spent on financial support for Ukraine.
- Of course, that's not enough. We are indirectly helping to fill Putin's war chest, says EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen.
The situation underlines that the EU must do more to become free of Russian energy, says the Danish EU Commissioner in an interview with the European Newsroom, the European cooperation between news agencies, of which Ritzau is a part.
- On the one hand, you can say that we have delivered a lot, and we have had some success. We have gone from 45 percent of our gas in 2022 coming from Russia to now 13 percent coming from Russia. On the other hand, during that period, we in Europe have spent more money buying Russian fossil fuels and energy than we have given Ukraine in aid and subsidies, says Dan Jørgensen.
Purchases in Russia for 205 billion euros
The independent research organization Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (Crea) has calculated that the EU's 27 member states have collectively purchased Russian fossil fuels, including oil, coal and gas, for more than 205 billion euros since Russia's invasion on February 24, 2022.
According to the EU Commission's latest figures, the EU has supported Ukraine with a total of 138.2 billion euros during the same period. Of this, 1.5 billion euros, according to the EU Commission, comes from the proceeds from Russian assets that have been seized.
In Danish kroner, this corresponds to EU countries having purchased Russian energy for around 1527 billion euros. DKK. Conversely, the EU has "only" given Ukraine financial support of around DKK 1030 billion.
It is mainly France, Hungary, Belgium, Slovakia and the Czech Republic that continue to import Russian energy, according to the figures from Crea. However, according to Crea, part of the Russian energy imported to France is sent on to Germany.
Dan Jørgensen has his own way of summarizing European energy purchases from Russia during the war:
- Put another way: We have spent an amount equivalent to buying 2,400 new F-35 fighter jets, says Dan Jørgensen.
Roadmap for independence from Russian energy on the way
The Danish EU Commissioner had announced a roadmap to make the EU free of Russian energy within the first 100 days after the new EU Commission took office on December 1. However, this has not been successful. The plan has now been postponed twice, but it is on its way within "a few weeks", says Dan Jørgensen.
Question: You say that we are indirectly helping to fill Putin's war chest. Why has the plan to free the EU from Russian energy been postponed?
- The plan has been postponed, but the effort has not. We work every day to get rid of Russian energy, but it is complicated. If it had been easy, we would have done it three years ago, says Dan Jørgensen.
The postponement of the plan has occurred at a time when US President Donald Trump is pushing hard to get a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. However, Dan Jørgensen denies that the EU Commission has postponed the launch of the plan to avoid disrupting the peace talks.
- No, is the short answer from Dan Jørgensen when asked whether the peace talks are the reason for the delay.
- One of the many aspects we need to consider is that it must be done in a way that does not harm our citizens and businesses, says Dan Jørgensen.
With this, he indirectly refers to the fact that EU countries that are particularly dependent on Russian energy must be able to find alternatives to avoid large price increases.
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