Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on energy-producing countries to increase their output this weekend, arguing such a move would stunt Russian efforts to “blackmail” European nations into a continued dependence on Russian oil.
Zelensky made the call to action during a surprise virtual appearance Saturday at the Doha Forum in Qatar, an annual summit that features major geopolitical figures for discussions on international issues. The Ukrainian president asked that leaders of “responsible” nations with the capability to produce more oil and gas do so promptly. He argued that such a move would help Europe recover financially from the recent spikes in energy costs and push Russia’s economy further toward collapse in the wake of its unprovoked war.
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“The responsible states, in particular the state of Qatar, you are reliable and reputable suppliers of energy resources,” the wartime leader said. “And you can contribute to stabilizing the situation in Europe. There is much that can be done to restore justice. The future of Europe depends on your efforts. I urge you to increase energy production to make Russia understand that no state should use energy as a weapon and to blackmail the world.”
Zelensky went on to caution that a continuation of Russia’s military aggression in his country would lead to food shortages internationally.
“Russian troops minefields in Ukraine, blow up agricultural machinery, destroy fuel reserves needed for sowing. They blocked our seaports. Why are they doing this?” he asked the conference of global leaders. “Our state will have enough food. But the lack of exports from Ukraine will hit many nations in the Islamic world, Latin America, and other parts of the world.”
Russia has faced enormous financial consequences over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine, with the country’s economy crumbling within weeks of launching the military offensive. The United States and the United Kingdom placed bans on Russian oil and gas exports, which were levied without the backing of other European allies, many of whom have urged a slower response to the war to protect their own economies.
Prior to Russia’s invasion, the EU got about 40% of its natural gas, 27% of its oil, and 46% of its coal from Russia. President Joe Biden, alongside a united European Union, also pulled select Russian financial firms from the SWIFT global banking system earlier this month.
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During his trip to Europe last week, Biden announced a joint task force with the European Commission to decrease Europe’s dependence on Russian energy. The president said that the U.S. would work with its international partners to provide at least 15 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas to Europe this year. The U.S. would triple those exports in the years that follow, something that will be necessary if Europe is going to maintain its pledge to discontinue buying Russian oil by 2030.
“I know that eliminating Russian gas will have costs for Europe,” Biden said, “But it’s not only the right thing to do from a moral standpoint, it’s going to put us on a much stronger strategic footing. All of this is bringing the European Union and the United States even closer together, and that’s a win for all of us.”
