Germany, France and Belgium plan to give up Russian oil and cut energy consumption to support Ukraine and stop Putin, as reported by CNN.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that, in his opinion, Germany will be able to stop importing Russian oil this year.
Speaking at a press conference with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, Scholz said that Germany is actively working to become independent of Russian oil imports.
The German Chancellor added that he thought Germany would be able to suspend imports this year, but the country would need more time to give up Russian gas as well.
– Stopping the import of Russian energy requires more investment and infrastructure. Germany has prepared steps to become independent of Russian energy imports even before the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine, because we knew this problem would arise, – Scholz said.
In its turn, Belgium calls on its citizens to reduce energy consumption to support Ukraine.
– Using energy wisely is good for your wallet, it will help us become less dependent on Russia, and it is good for the climate, – said Belgian Federal Minister of Energy Tinne Van der Straeten.
Van der Straeten also asked the Belgians to prepare for winter.
– Belgian homes consume the most energy in all of Europe, – she said.
She called on Belgians to invest in better insulation, solar panels, heat pumps and solar water heaters.
To set a good example, the Belgian government is cutting heating in all federal buildings by one degree.
According to the Ministry of Energy, Belgium imports 30% of oil, 20% of uranium and up to 6% of natural gas from Russia.
The Minister Van der Straeten reiterated that there are no problems with supplies to Belgium, but no one can predict how the war in Ukraine will develop, so the Belgians must prepare now for possible problems.
French Minister of the Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire said France was ready to move on and give up Russian oil.
By the way, Le Maire called the attack on Kramatorsk railway station, which killed at least 50 people, massacre and added that the perpetrators should be identified, prosecuted and convicted for these crimes.
Le Maire added that the EU must work together to impose tougher sanctions on Russia’s energy sector.
– As for France, we are ready to go further and to take a decision on a ban on oil. And I am deeply convinced that the next steps and subsequent discussions will focus on this issue in order to ban Russian oil, – he said.
Le Maire stressed that the current sanctions agreed by the EU had been the most effective and powerful since the creation of the European Union.
