US ‘Won’t Let Russia Bully’ Europe With Power Cuts, Says Biden

USA will not allow Russia use “gas blackmail” to pressure European allies and undermine sanctions imposed on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, US President Joe Biden said on Thursday.

“We will not allow Russia to intimidate or blackmail to circumvent these sanctions. We will not allow you to use your oil and gas to avoid the consequences of your aggression.”Biden said in a speech from the White House.

“We are working with other countries, such as Korea, Japan or Qatar, to help our European allies threatened by this Russian gas blackmail”he added.

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Russian gas giant Gazprom on Wednesday suspended all gas deliveries to Bulgaria and Poland, both members of the European Union and NATO, raising the threat of shortages in central and eastern Europe, but also across the European continent.

“In a way, Russia is shooting itself” by depriving themselves of income from the sale of gas to these two countries, said the head of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken, at a hearing in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives on Thursday.

Gazprom building on Moskovsky Prospekt in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (EFE/EPA/ANATOLY MALTSEV/)

Blinken also noted the increase in shipments of liquefied natural gas from the United States to Europe. “to help make up any shortfalls, including those that may result from Russia trying to use this as a form of blackmail.”

Germany, in particular, has faced criticism that it emboldened Russia by relying on its gas.

Source: Elcomercio