Hungary Says EU’s Russian Oil Ban Plan Lacks Security Guarantee

Despite disagreement among EU members on new energy sanctions, on Tuesday European Council President Charles Michel pledged to “break the Russian war machine” by steering countries on the continent away from Russia’s natural gas supplies.

The bloc is racing to secure alternative supplies to Russian energy, placing priority on global liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from countries that include major producers like Algeria, Qatar and the United States.

That includes LNG facilities being built in northern Greece, which Michel and the leaders of four Balkan countries toured on Tuesday.

“We are also sanctioning Russia to put financial, economic and political pressure on the Kremlin because our goal is simple: We must break the Russian war machine,” Michel said.

He met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the leaders of Bulgaria, North Macedonia and non-NATO member Serbia at the Greek port of Alexandroupolis. An LNG import terminal near the port city is due to start operation next year.

LNG that arrives by ship is becoming increasingly important as EU countries look to move away from Russian supplies. Russia last week cut off natural gas to Bulgaria and Poland, citing their refusal to pay in Russian roubles, in an escalating dispute triggered by the invasion of Ukraine.

“This is why this new LNG terminal is so timely and so important. It’s a geopolitical investment and this is a geopolitical moment,” Michel said. “It reflects what we need to do more of because it will provide security of supply to Greece, to Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Serbia and other countries in the region. And this is extremely important.”

















































































































SOURCE: Aljazeera 
IMAGE CREDIT: pixabay