Czech PM: Gas won’t make EU’s next Russian sanctions package

The European Union is preparing a seventh package of sanctions against Moscow, but it is already clear that it will not decrease imports of Russian gas as too many member states can’t adjust quickly enough, according to Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala. “I think that it should not be there, because a number of countries depend on Russian gas,” Mr Fiala added.

The Czech Republic, which took over the EU’s rotating six-month presidency on July 1, is one of those Russian gas-dependent countries, receiving almost all of its gas from the aggressor nation. Overall, the EU relied on Russia for 40% of its gas before Moscow invaded Ukraine.