European Commission president condemns Russia’s energy strategy

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has accused Russia of weaponizing its gas supply to Europe just prior to its invasion of Ukraine.

Von der Leyen criticized Russia for transforming what was once seen as a “source of security” into a significant vulnerability, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

She highlighted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had “traded the prosperity of his own country” for imperial ambitions, equating the move to a strategic blackmail.

“What was thought to be a source of security turned out to be a source of vulnerability,” von der Leyen stated. She explained that as Russian troops amassed at the Ukrainian border, Russia simultaneously cut off gas supplies, using it as a tool for coercion.

Von der Leyen praised the response to the crisis, noting that fears of energy shortages in Europe did not materialize, thanks to increased resource supplies from the United States and the development of Europe's own infrastructure.