EU member states slash purchase of Russian gas by 50% since war started: Josep Borrell

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell on Friday lashed out at Russia for hurling unsubstantiated claims that it has been supplying the European countries with "as much gas as possible amid the energy crisis".Borrell, in an interview with the German public broadcaster DW, said that the EU member states have slashed their energy imports by an estimated 50% since Moscow launched its all out invasion of the Ukraine.

The EU's foreign policy chief also dismissed the mounting criticism of the bloc's energy policy, stating that Europe is implementing emergency plans and has been rolling back on energy consumption, in case Russia completely halts the gas supply to the bloc. Over the looming  fears of retaliation to the US-led sanctions, the European Union has cut at least 15% gas supply just this week. This, according to Borrell, will also help the EU's state energy corporation to refill the gas storage facilities across the bloc as the member states brace for the harsh winters. 

'We can't cut gas supplies overnight': Borrell 

Borell further said that deliveries from Moscow made up about 40% of all gas purchased by EU members before the Kremlin launched full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "It [Russian energy imports] was 40% before the war, it's now 20% but no one can ask European economies to cut gas supplies overnight. We cannot do miracles," he said.

According to the EU, many states in the EU have been heavily reliant on the Russian gas supply in order to keep their economies running, and their homes operating. Borrell reminded that a proposal was under consideration for the punitive tariffs for the total blockade of the Russian gas, but it was rejected. EU's foreign policy, however, added that some of the EU countries did make a  "stronger decision" to "stop buying [Russian] oil from the end of the year, and now we're in the process of stopping buying gas."

The Kremlin had earlier claimed that Russia's state corporation Gazprom has been supplying "as much gas as possible" to the EU as per the demands, and rejected the EU's narrative that Russia is waging an "energy war" in Europe. Press Secretary of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov clarified that it would be "wrong" to consider linking the reduced volume of Russian gas supplies to Europe with sanctions. Peskov's remarks came as Russia reduced the gas supply to the EU, making the export much costlier and harder for the bloc to fill up the storage ahead of the winters.

At a separate briefing, the European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that the EU "must be prepared" for total cut off for the Russian gas. She also urged for the bloc to phase out Russian fossil fuels and accelerate the green transition. "By acting as a Union, Europe can do it faster," the commission said. Meanwhile, Von der Leyen denounced Russia for what she described as "weaponizing its gas supplies".