Zelensky slams EU countries for 'earning their money in other people's blood' by refusing to veto Russian energy supplies

[beijingwalker]

Zelensky slams EU countries for 'earning their money in other people's blood' by refusing to veto Russian energy supplies​

• Zelensky has singled out Germany and Hungary for blocking an oil embargo
• He accused the EU countries of 'earning their money in other people's blood'
• The EU has paid £29billion to Russia for energy since Putin attacked Ukraine
• But the bloc's military aid to Ukraine only equals £830 million by comparison
• Russian oil accounts for a quarter of German imports, down 35% since invasion

By LEWIS PENNOCK FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 22:00 BST, 14 April 2022 | UPDATED: 01:56 BST, 15 April 2022

Volodymyr Zelensky last night accused countries in Europe of ‘earning their money in other people’s blood’ over the refusal to stop buying Russian oil.

Ukraine’s president singled out Germany and Hungary for their refusal to back a total embargo on Russian energy.

He said: ‘We don’t understand how you can make money out of blood. Unfortunately this is what some countries have been doing. European countries.

‘For example, and I’d like us to be frank, the oil embargo is, I think, one of the key issues which we know has been blocked by Germany and Hungary among European countries.

‘We need to talk together with these countries on how it’s possible for there to be different attitudes to this issue, the oil embargo, within the European Union.’

Figures from last week said that the EU has paid £29billion to Russia for energy since the invasion. By comparison, the bloc has given about £830million to Ukraine in military aid in that time.

The European Union has banned the import of Russian coal but resisted calls to turn off the taps to Russian energy completely.

The bloc receives about 40 per cent of its gas supplies from Russia.

Russian oil accounts for a quarter of German imports, down from 35 per cent before the invasion, and gas imports have been cut to 40 per cent from 55 per cent.

Britain, which gets about 8 per cent of its oil from Russia, has said it will phase out imports by the end of the year.

Speaking in his situation room in Kyiv, Mr Zelensky also called for further weapons supplies to Ukraine.

‘The United States, the United Kingdom, some European countries – they are trying to help and are helping,’ he told the BBC. ‘But still we need it sooner, sooner and faster. The key word is now.’

Meanwhile, in an attempt to continue demonstrating their support to Ukraine, the United States is considering sending a top-level official to Kyiv – but President Joe Biden is unlikely to make the trip.

A string of Western leaders, including Boris Johnson, have visited the capital in recent weeks.

Discussions are reportedly under way in Washington to arrange a visit in a show of support, but officials say this would likely involve a cabinet member, rather than the 79-year-old president.

Secretary of state Antony Blinken or defence secretary Lloyd Austin are in the frame, sources said. Mr Biden told reporters last night: ‘We’ll be making that decision soon.’

Mr Johnson met Mr Zelensky in Kyiv on Saturday. The trip was not publicised in advance and even some of the PM’s closest aides did not know about it.

His visit followed others from the leaders of Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria, along with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

Any trip made by the US would likely also take place without a prior announcement for security reasons.

Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney yesterday became the latest European politician to visit Kyiv, meeting Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and defence minister Oleksii Reznikov.

Mr Coveney told a press conference: ‘I am conscious that Ukraine does not want sympathy. It needs action and strong practical support, and even though Ireland is militarily neutral, let me be clear we are not neutral on this war and the future of your country.’

Zelensky slams EU countries refusing to veto Russian energy supplies

Figures from last week said that the EU has paid £29billion to Russia for energy since the invasion. By comparison, the bloc has given about £830million to Ukraine in military aid in that time.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[sha ah]

Watch the following clip. It's only 10 seconds. This is Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition, recommending that Europeans cease taking showers in order to stick it to Putin. I don't think Europeans realize that if Russia turns off the gas, they will go back to the stone age without electricity or industry.

This is not even the worst of it. There are those advocating that people should avoid turning on their heat during the winter. They recommend people just put on a warm sweater. Others are saying not to drive to avoid using Russian gasoline. Just take public transit instead they say. Eat lentils instead of meat they say.

What's next ? Take off your shirt during summer instead of air conditioning ? No lights just use candles ? They've lost their minds. They're reversing backwards instead of progressing forward. Right now they're heading back towards the industrial revolution, soon they'll be back to the stone age at this pace.

​

Zelensky slams EU countries for 'earning their money in other people's blood' by refusing to veto Russian energy supplies

• Zelensky has singled out Germany and Hungary for blocking an oil embargo
• He accused the EU countries of 'earning their money in other people's blood'
• The EU has paid £29billion to Russia for energy since Putin attacked Ukraine
• But the bloc's military aid to Ukraine only equals £830 million by comparison
• Russian oil accounts for a quarter of German imports, down 35% since invasion

By LEWIS PENNOCK FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 22:00 BST, 14 April 2022 | UPDATED: 01:56 BST, 15 April 2022

Volodymyr Zelensky last night accused countries in Europe of ‘earning their money in other people’s blood’ over the refusal to stop buying Russian oil.

Ukraine’s president singled out Germany and Hungary for their refusal to back a total embargo on Russian energy.

He said: ‘We don’t understand how you can make money out of blood. Unfortunately this is what some countries have been doing. European countries.

‘For example, and I’d like us to be frank, the oil embargo is, I think, one of the key issues which we know has been blocked by Germany and Hungary among European countries.

‘We need to talk together with these countries on how it’s possible for there to be different attitudes to this issue, the oil embargo, within the European Union.’

Figures from last week said that the EU has paid £29billion to Russia for energy since the invasion. By comparison, the bloc has given about £830million to Ukraine in military aid in that time.

The European Union has banned the import of Russian coal but resisted calls to turn off the taps to Russian energy completely.

The bloc receives about 40 per cent of its gas supplies from Russia.

Russian oil accounts for a quarter of German imports, down from 35 per cent before the invasion, and gas imports have been cut to 40 per cent from 55 per cent.

Britain, which gets about 8 per cent of its oil from Russia, has said it will phase out imports by the end of the year.

Speaking in his situation room in Kyiv, Mr Zelensky also called for further weapons supplies to Ukraine.

‘The United States, the United Kingdom, some European countries – they are trying to help and are helping,’ he told the BBC. ‘But still we need it sooner, sooner and faster. The key word is now.’

Meanwhile, in an attempt to continue demonstrating their support to Ukraine, the United States is considering sending a top-level official to Kyiv – but President Joe Biden is unlikely to make the trip.

A string of Western leaders, including Boris Johnson, have visited the capital in recent weeks.

Discussions are reportedly under way in Washington to arrange a visit in a show of support, but officials say this would likely involve a cabinet member, rather than the 79-year-old president.

Secretary of state Antony Blinken or defence secretary Lloyd Austin are in the frame, sources said. Mr Biden told reporters last night: ‘We’ll be making that decision soon.’

Mr Johnson met Mr Zelensky in Kyiv on Saturday. The trip was not publicised in advance and even some of the PM’s closest aides did not know about it.

His visit followed others from the leaders of Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria, along with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

Any trip made by the US would likely also take place without a prior announcement for security reasons.

Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney yesterday became the latest European politician to visit Kyiv, meeting Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and defence minister Oleksii Reznikov.

Mr Coveney told a press conference: ‘I am conscious that Ukraine does not want sympathy. It needs action and strong practical support, and even though Ireland is militarily neutral, let me be clear we are not neutral on this war and the future of your country.’

Zelensky slams EU countries refusing to veto Russian energy supplies

Figures from last week said that the EU has paid £29billion to Russia for energy since the invasion. By comparison, the bloc has given about £830million to Ukraine in military aid in that time.

www.dailymail.co.uk