US attempting to divide energy markets destabilizing: Russia envoy

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The US attempts at dividing energy markets into "good" and "bad" are destabilizing the sector, fuel price hikes, and inflation, Russian ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said Wednesday.

"[The] US attempts to divide the energy markets into good and bad ones lead to the destabilization of the sector, jumps in fuel prices, and inflation," Antonov told Russia's Rossiya 24 broadcaster. 

"The task is to deprive Russia of income. We will not supply resources at unfavorable prices at a loss," he added.

The diplomat underlined that as a result of attempts by the United States and its allies to set a price cap for Russian oil, "there will be a redistribution of commodity flows not in favor of Western countries."

"No matter how hard Washington tries to present Russia as an unreliable supplier, and this line continues, all this is not true," Antonov told the media outlet.

He stressed that the problems with energy resources for Russia's buyers started off due to US sanctions on Moscow rather than the latter's actions.

"We have never imposed our supplies, we have not tried to solve the acutely opportunistic goals attributed to us, we are ready to sell inexpensive and high-quality resources to anyone who needs it," the Russian diplomat explained.

He also underscored that the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline spurring into action would solve Europe's energy problems. "You just need to press a button," he said. "But there is not enough diplomatic will.

Europe gave in to "persistent persuasion from the White House" by relying on expensive LNG, Antonov stressed.

Berlin has refused to certify Nord Stream 2, a pipeline that runs through the Baltic Sea which could have doubled the volume of direct Russian imports.

Millions of German lower-income households will find it hard to pay their energy bills this winter amid a sharp rise in gas prices, according to Lukas Ievenkotten, head of the German Renters' Association last week.    

"We are talking about millions," Siebenkotten told the Tagesspiegel daily, warning that the people most at risk are those who earn just enough to not qualify for state subsidies.

He noted that the government needs to raise the income threshold to €5,000 ($5,078) a month for housing benefit claimants and improve employment protections.    

A shortage in Russian gas exports to Germany has raised prices for local suppliers. The German government wishes to divide this burden between suppliers and consumers, who would be charged a levy of up to €0.05 ($0.05) per kWh from October 1 to April 1, 2024. This is equivalent to an extra 1,000 euros for a four-person family, excluding the EU's standard value-added tax of 19%.

Visas for Lavrov. delegation for UNGA visit

The Russian Embassy in the United States urged on Wednesday the White House and the State Department to immediately issue visas to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and all members of the Russian delegation for a visit to the UN General Assembly in September, Antonov said. 

"The embassy has already applied to the White House, the State Department with a demand to fulfill the obligations of the host country on whose territory the UN headquarters is based, and to immediately issue a visa to the minister and all members of the Russian delegation," Antonov announced.

"We will continue to insist on ensuring unhindered entry to all representatives of Russia participating in the event of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly," he said. 

"Tomorrow, I will have another visit to the State Department, where one of the central issues I intend to raise is this problem. The problem of full-scale, full-fledged participation of our minister and delegation at the upcoming September events in New York," the ambassador added.