Von der Leyen with new criticisms of Russia

Ursula von der Leyen/ Photo EPA-EFE/DUMITRU DORU

Russia is more interested in using its gas as a weapon - even if that means destroying it rather than selling it - in response to Western sanctions against its invasion of Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen charged today.

Moscow cut gas supplies to the EU earlier this year in retaliation for sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine.

- We see that Russia is burning its gas instead of selling it, von der Leyen said during the first session of the annual summit of the group of leading world economies in Indonesia, DPA reported.

Russian behavior "created shortages in the global energy markets and caused skyrocketing prices", said the president of the EC. Therefore, the EU supported the introduction of an oil price cap, she added, stressing that it would also benefit low- and middle-income countries.

- But our best response to the situation is to accelerate the transition to clean forms of energy, von der Leyen added. This was "the only answer to both the energy and the climate crisis", and it also offers huge opportunities for other regions of the world.

According to her, in the next five years, Europe would invest at least 4 billion euros ($4,1 billion) in renewable energy sources such as hydrogen. This will also encourage huge private investment, she said.

European Council President Charles Michel, who is also attending the G20 summit on the Indonesian island of Bali, also attacked Russia, according to participants in the first session of the summit, accusing Moscow of instrumentalizing energy as a weapon, with negative effects on the economy. which are felt not only in Europe but also in the world.

The G20 is a group of the world's leading economies that meet regularly to discuss key global issues, this year amid unprecedented tensions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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