Baltic states and Poland criticize purchasing gas from Russia
Baltic states and Poland criticize purchasing gas from Russia (photo: Getty Images)
Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland have called on other EU countries to stop buying Russian liquefied natural gas. Such imports undermine the solidarity of the European Union, states the letter from the Chairs of the EU Affairs Commissions of the countries' parliaments.
“By continuing to purchase LNG from Russia, the EU maintains its dependency on a country that uses energy as a hybrid weapon and a tool of manipulation; this undermines EU unity and diminishes public trust,” the letter says.
The Chairs of the EU affairs commissions of the four parliaments also reminded that Russia is financing its war against Ukraine with the money it receives from the sale of LNG. It poses a threat to the EU countries.
According to the Chairs, imports of Russian LNG must be stopped through political will. At the same time, the existing liquefied natural gas terminals under construction should fulfill their original purpose: to diversify gas import routes and allow the EU to stop importing gas from Russia, not vice versa.
In the letter, the Chairs also called on the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the parliaments and governments of EU member states to achieve this goal and to finally stop buying gas from Russia by January 1, 2027. This decision should be a long-term one.
The signatories called on the EU to continue strengthening relations with Central Asia, the Middle East, as well as the United States and Norway, to ensure stable energy supplies.
What happened before
In the 14th package of sanctions against Russia, the EU imposed restrictions on Russian liquefied natural gas.
The sanctions prohibit the transshipment of Russian LNG in European ports for further export to third countries. At the same time, the export of LNG to the EU countries was not banned.
