EU's Borrell hits back at criticism of bloc's energy policy
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Despite the import cuts, EU member states still depend on Russian energy to power their economies and houses, and Borrell says they "cannot do miracles."
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High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks during a joint news conference, in Tehran, Iran June 25, 2022. (Photo credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters)
The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, hit back on Friday at criticism of the bloc's energy policy, telling DW that the bloc's countries have cut their imports of Russian gas by 50% since the Ukraine war started.
Borrell was asked if the EU states are still funding Russia's war machine by rejecting to cut themselves off from Russian energy altogether.
"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," Borrell answered. "We cannot do miracles."
Despite the import cuts, EU member states still depend on Russian energy to power their economies and houses.
EU member states have reached a political agreement on a voluntary reduction of gas demand by 15% this winter, the Council of the European Union announced on Tuesday.
Read: EU states intend to ask for exemptions from plans to reduce gas demand
Punitive tariffs not an option
As for why Brussels did not choose to levy punitive tariffs on Russian gas to reduce the flow of funds to Moscow, Borrell said the proposal had been seriously considered but rejected.
EU countries made a "stronger decision" to "stop buying [Russian] oil from the end of the year," he said, "and now we're in the process of stopping buying gas."
Borrell said additional decreases in Russian gas imports would happen "quickly."
Sanctions will hurt Russia's economy
Borrell also denied allegations that Russia's economy has so far not been harmed by Western sanctions while EU consumers are already struggling with high energy bills.
"More important than [cutting gas] is cutting the links of the Russian economy with the rest of the world," Borrell said. "The war machine is not only working with money — it is also working with technology."
"Have a look at the carcass of a destroyed Russian tank. And you will see how many Western companies' electronic components are inside there. They will no longer have access to them," as a result of sanctions.
Read: Russian economy exceeds expectations: IMF
Borrell concluded by telling DW that Russian President Vladimir Putin will "have to choose between having guns and having butter for the people."
Borrell's words come as inflation in the eurozone reached a new high in July, pushed up by higher energy prices caused in part by the war in Ukraine.
Furthermore, the consumer price index (CPI) peak could be months away, putting pressure on the European Central Bank (ECB) to hike interest rates again in September.
Inflation has been at its highest level since 1997 when the euro was introduced.
Energy prices increased by 39.7%, slightly less than the previous month, while food, alcohol, and tobacco prices increased by 9.8%, faster than the previous month.
Meanwhile, the eurozone's economy expanded from April to June, increasing by 0.7% over the previous quarter and by 4% over the same period in 2021.
Europe's proximity to Ukraine, as well as its reliance on Russian energy, puts it at risk of recession as Moscow restricts natural gas flows that power factories use to generate electricity and heat homes in the winter.
A cold winter with high demand for natural gas could deplete storage levels, which governments are now scrambling to fill but have been made noticeably more difficult by Russia's cuts.
