EU nears full phase-out of Russian energy, Von der Leyen says

The European Union is moving closer to fully weaning itself of Russian energy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in an interview with CNN.

Von der Leyen said that she shares U.S. President Donald Trump’s position, who has urged Europe to stop financing Russia’s war by purchasing its energy resources.

“President Trump is right. It is unacceptable that through the ‘back door’ Russian fossil fuel come back” von der Leyen said.

Europe was heavily reliant on Russian energy at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, according to her. 

“Putin cut us off the [natural] gas. We had a huge energy crisis,”von der Leyen said

Since then, however, the EU has managed to significantly reduce that dependence. The political and economic bloc has subsequently started to diversify its energy supplies and made major investments in renewable energy and nuclear power.

“Today we are almost got rid of Russian fossil fuels. And it’s correct, we have to finish that work, we have to get rid of Russian fossil fuel, because it is only fuelling the Russian war,” she said.

Europe has already cut its reliance on Russian energy by 80 percent, but liquefied natural gas is still entering the continent through a “back door,” which will now face sanctions.

Von der Leyen said that countries still buying Russian gas and oil must seek alternative sources under the EU’s impending 19th sanctions package.