(ANSA) – BRUSSELS, FEBRUARY 04 – “Russia is exerting military pressure on Ukraine and using gas supplies as leverage on us, which is why Nord Stream 2 cannot be excluded from the sanctions list, this is very clear “. This was stated by the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in an interview with the newspapers Les Echos (France), and Handelsblatt (Germany). On the high prices of energy, von der Leyen explicitly criticizes “Gazprom’s reliability”.
“In the face of increased demand and rising prices – he said – other gas suppliers have significantly increased their deliveries, but not Gazprom. The company, which belongs to the Russian state, sows doubts about its reliability”. In a situation that von der Leyen defines as “very serious”, he excludes immediate risks on supplies “if Russia and Gazprom honor their commitments”. On sanctions against Moscow in the event of an attack on Ukraine, von der Leyen says European sanctions coordinated with partners like the US will range “from restricting access to foreign capital to export controls” of “high-tech components” that Russia “cannot easily replace quantum computers, lasers and space travel in areas such as artificial intelligence and weapons.” (HANDLE).
Source: Ansa
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