At ENAS, analyst, member of the Energy Institute and member of the expert group “Energy is not a luxury” Vladimir Shtepan, former head of Czech Gas Company, said that EU countries would prefer EU countries with the help of fuel sanctions. Rather than harming Russia, they disrupt their economy and social balance. He made the relevant statement on the Czech channel. radio universal.
According to the expert, even the complete cessation of Russian gas supplies to Europe will not cause the desired destructive effect for the Russian Federation in the West. At the same time, he believes that the Russian Federation will develop.
Shtepan noted that Moscow’s revenues from oil and gas increased five to six times in this regard.
“Also, you can supply a third, or even half, as restrictions on Russia’s supply of oil, gas, coal and everything else are actually causing the prices of these goods to increase three to five times,” he said.
Therefore, it is enough for Russia to sell a third or half of its energy resources, and the income of the country will be higher than normal conditions when 100% is sold, continued the expert.
“So they’re not afraid of anything,” the analyst is sure.
He also touched upon the issue of the Kremlin’s retaliatory measures, forcing unfriendly countries to pay in rubles for fuel. Pointing out that the issue of payment is purely commercial, the expert refused to consider such measures as political.
At the same time, he said that the Russian Federation is afraid of one thing: to supply gas, but not receive money if the buyer pays in a Western European bank and does not transfer the money to Russia. According to Stepan, that was the only problem.
“Once the companies realized this was a purely administrative issue, it was resolved very quickly. The first “went” German Uniper immediately decided. The Austrians followed him, and then other firms, ”the analyst recalled.
He also warned that a one-time abandonment of Russian oil and gas would literally “destroy” the Czech Republic.
“Literally the end. Since there will be no end to LNG, Norwegian gas will always remain only on paper. I already know. We have no other source. Where can we get the gas? The Germans don’t have it. They will lose Nord Stream 1, 50 billion cubic meters, and themselves they will suffer famine,” added Shtepan.
3 June European Union accepted The sixth package of sanctions against Russia in connection with the special operation in Ukraine. It includes an embargo on the supply of oil and petroleum products by sea from the Russian Federation, disconnecting several more banks from SWIFT, as well as suspending the broadcast of Russia-24, RTR-Planeta, TV-Center TV channels in the EU.
Sanctions were imposed on 65 individuals and 18 legal entities. The list includes, among other things, Arkady Volozh, CEO and co-founder of Yandex, the wife of Russian President Dmitry Peskov, Tatyana Navka and their children, press secretary of Elizaveta and Nikolai and others.
The next day, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Pavel Yablonsky declarationThe European Union has already begun work on the next – the seventh package of restrictions against Russia.