One of Ukraine’s strongest allies has spent five times as much on Russian oil and gas as it has on aid to Kyiv—which, analysts argue, has helped to “finance the Kremlin’s war.”
Despite the significant levels of aid—both military and financial—provided to Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, many countries have been unable to shake their historical reliance on Russian energy. While many of Ukraine’s allies have levied bans against Russian oil and gas imports, the remainder have helped to keep the heavily sanctioned country’s economy afloat.
On Monday, the Center for the Study of Democracy and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air published a report on European powers’ continued dependence on Russian fossil fuels. Titled “Tapping the Loophole,” the report outlined how the Czech Republic had taken advantage of its exemption to the European Union’s ban on importing Russian oil and petroleum products.
The exemption was made to give landlocked central European countries—such as Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia—the opportunity to phase out their use of Russian oil over a longer period as they searched for new fuel supply routes.
However, according to the two think tanks, Czechia “exploited” this loophole, as well the resulting discounts on Russian crude oil, to increase its imports last year—which rose to 60 percent of Czechia’s oil imports in 2023, up from 56 percent in 2022.
Newsweek has contacted the Czech Foreign Ministry for comment.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, besides Czech President Petr Pavel during a military honor guard in front of the Prague Castle in the Czech Republic on July 6, 2023. A report published Monday found that…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, besides Czech President Petr Pavel during a military honor guard in front of the Prague Castle in the Czech Republic on July 6, 2023. A report published Monday found that since Russia’s invasion began, Czechia had spent five times as much on Russian oil and gas as it had on aid to Ukraine.
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In the first quarter of 2024, this reliance decreased to preinvasion levels of below 50 percent. However, the Czech Republic is still purchasing large quantities of oil and gas from Russia, undercutting the wider sanctioning efforts against the country.
Czechia has spent more than 7 billion euros ($7.62 billion) on Russian oil and gas since the invasion began, more than five times the 1.29 billion euros it has provided in aid to Ukraine, the report said, citing figures from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
According to the think tanks’ estimates, the country’s continued reliance on Russian energy has netted Moscow more than 2.3 billion euros in tax revenues since February 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on October 11. According to a recent report, the Czech Republic has spent more than 7 billion euros on Russian oil and gas since Moscow launched its full-scale…
Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on October 11. According to a recent report, the Czech Republic has spent more than 7 billion euros on Russian oil and gas since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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The report argued that Czechia had “ample alternative non-Russian supply options” and the necessary supply routes and energy portfolio to fully phase out Russian fossil fuels.
The country could take advantage of the Transalpine Pipeline, which carries oil from Trieste, Italy, to Czechia, with the report adding that the pipeline was operating below its total capacity. Czechia could also negotiate with Hungarian oil firms to obtain non-Russian crude via the Adria pipeline.
Additionally, the country has several partners that would be able to assist it in finding alternatives to Russian gas.
“Czechia does not need to import any Russian pipeline gas to maintain the security of its supply,” the report said. “It can import enough gas from Norway via the pipeline routes in Germany. The Czech Republic can also buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the new floating terminal in Eemshaven, Netherlands.”
The think tanks urged the European Union to “complete the strategic decoupling from Russian oil” by removing the exemptions for imports to Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia and to set a firm deadline to cease all Russian gas imports.
“Phasing out Russian fossil fuel imports provides the region with a crucial opportunity to expand investments in renewable energy sources like solar and wind,” the report concluded. “By prioritizing cleaner energy alternatives, the countries in the region can reduce their carbon footprint, enhance energy security, and align with broader European goals for sustainability.”
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Publish date : 2024-10-16 04:29:00
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The post NATO Ally Spending Five Times More on Russian Energy Than Ukraine Aid first appeared on Love Europe.
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Publish date : 2024-10-16 11:47:56
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