Ending Russian energy ties is a political choice, says Lavtian president Rinkēvičs

Ending reliance connected vigor supplies from Russia is simply a substance of "political will", Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs said successful an interrogation with Euronews.

Rinkēvičs urged Hungary and Slovakia to perceive to US President Donald Trump successful his telephone to extremity the European Union's dependency connected Russian lipid and gas.

"Look astatine my ain country, Latvia. Back successful 2017, we were 100% babelike connected Russian state and oil. Today, successful 2025, we are wholly independent. We are buying lipid and state from antithetic countries. If determination is simply a governmental will, determination is besides going to beryllium the result," Rinkēvičs said.

The European Union is progressively giving up the usage of Russian lipid and gas. Since the opening of Russia's full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022, the EU has chopped crude lipid imports from Russia from astir 27% to 3%. Natural state autumn from astir 45% to astir 18-19%.

While astir EU subordinate states are successful favour of this transition, Slovakia and Hungary stay firmly opposing to specified a signifier out.

During his code astatine the UN General Assembly connected Tuesday, US President Donald Trump criticised the European Union for continuing to acquisition Russian energy.

"Think of it. They're backing the warfare against themselves. Who the hellhole ever heard of that one?," Trump said.

Rinkēvičs is convinced that accelerating the phase-out of Russian lipid and state could person an interaction connected the warfare successful Ukraine.

"Russia's system is not doing truthful well. If we propulsion much erstwhile it comes to sanctions, if we halt buying lipid and gas, past it could precise overmuch power the full concern [Russia's warfare successful Ukraine]," helium told Euronews.

On sanctions, the Latvian president said a determination indispensable yet beryllium taken connected however to usage frozen Russian assets "to enactment Ukraine with each kinds of weapons."

The EU is examining ways to usage the frozen assets, worthy a full of €210 billion, to assistance money Ukraine's defence and post-war reconstruction.

Since a determination has not yet been taken, Rinkēvičs urged the EU to determination forward, adding that it indispensable besides enforce "secondary sanctions against countries that are helping Russia circumvent" existing measures.

In immoderate cases, 3rd countries are enabling the evasion of EU sanctions against Russia.

In January, the NGO Earthsight published the results of an undercover investigation, revealing that the EU systematically imported much than €1.5 cardinal worthy of amerciable Russian and Belarusian birch plywood since sanctions came into unit successful July 2022. 

Security guarantees

A "coalition of the willing," led by France and the UK, is moving to make a communal attack connected however to supply information guarantees for Ukraine aft the war, including the anticipation of deploying troops connected the ground.

On the governmental process, Rinkēvičs said, "We are inactive not astatine the signifier of making last decisions astir providing existent information guarantees".

"If we determine to supply information guarantees, if we determine to nonstop troops connected the ground, we request US support," helium explained, "Not needfully US troops connected ground, but logistical support, quality support, different forms of support," the president pointed out.

Rinkēvičs added that, portion it's astir apt excessively aboriginal to say, "A batch depends connected however the governmental process volition make betwixt Russia and Ukraine," adding that helium doesn't "see immoderate willingness connected the portion of Russian Federation to participate into the superior bid talks."