Ukraine, Biden sees von der Leyen: “Russia uses energy profits for war”

“We are here together to reduce the EU’s dependence on Russian energy. Putin used his energy resources to manipulate his neighbors, that’s how he used them. He used those profits to run his war machine.” This was stated by American President Joe Biden, illustrating, in a joint statement with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the details of the US-EU agreement announced last night, which aims to reduce the EU’s dependence on Russia for energy supply. Read also “Some time ago – continues Biden – I announced that the US would ban any import of energy from Russia, to make it clear” that the US does not participate in “subsidizing the brutal and unjustified war in Ukraine. At the time, I noticed that we were able to take this step, unlike others, because the US is a net exporter of energy, with a strong domestic industry. ” “The US welcomes the EU’s strong statement pledging to reduce its dependence on gas. Today we are announcing a plan to achieve that goal,” Biden explains. EU of at least 50 billion cubic meters a year between now and 2030, “the European Commission will work with member states to store gas on the continent, to build more infrastructures to receive liquefied natural gas and to increase gas efficiency” All this, he points out, “will be done in a coherent way and not in conflict with the goal of climate neutrality”. To build the necessary infrastructure “it will take some time”, but the current situation can also be a “catalyst” to “accelerate progress towards a zero-emissions future”. The joint goal of Washington and Brussels, he concludes, is to reduce the EU’s dependence on Russian gas “as quickly as possible” and “to reduce dependence on gas at all”. The US and the EU “work together to take measures concrete aimed at reducing dependence on natural gas, period. And to maximize the availability of renewable energies “, he underlines. Together, he adds, “we will invest in technologies to disengage ourselves from fossil fuels and together we will advance in the use of clean hydrogen, to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.” “I know that eliminating Russian gas will entail costs for Europe, but it is not only the right thing to do from a moral standpoint: it also puts us in a much stronger strategic position “, the US president underlines.” I am proud to announce that we have also made great progress in transatlantic data flows. security are fundamental in my agenda: today we agreed on unprecedented protection of the privacy and data protection of our citizens “, he later announced.” This new agreement – he adds – will promote growth in the US and in the EU, will help businesses small and large to compete in the digital economy. The framework will allow the European Commission to authorize transatlantic data flows, which will help facilitate 7.1 billion dollars in economic relations with the EU “, he concludes. VON DER LEYEN – We are determined to oppose Russia’s brutal war “against Ukraine.” This conflict will be a strategic failure for Vladimir Putin. “European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen predicts this, alongside US President Joe Biden in Brussels.