The European Union’s executive branch announced an emergency draft on Friday of a plan to aid member states to survive without Russian energy as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues.
- The measure would expand EU actions to drop Russian oil, coal and natural gas, and would involve a European plan to increase the continent-wide use of renewables like wind and solar, the Associated Press reported.
“We are preparing emergency plans for Europe,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said from Litomysl, Czech Republic. “Energy prices are high. People – rightly so – expect us to do something about it.”
- The contingency plan will take hold in mid-July. It will center on where it will be possible to cut off Russian energy and how to do so in a “smart way” while helping EU countries struggling with the transition, von der Leyen said.
“We need a good, common plan that the energy flows, or the gas flows, where it is needed most,” von der Leyen added.
- In May, the commission announced its “REPowerEU” plan to cut ties with Russian energy in favor of a $312 billion package to improve efficiency of existing energy and increase infrastructure for renewables.
“The next step is to make available to the EU member states the 300 billion euros that come along with REPpowerEU, and therefore, of course, we count on your presidency to reach rapidly agreement on the adoption of the REPowerEU regulation,” von der Leyen told the Czech premier, whose country has been given the rotating six-month EU presidency.
Source: Arutz Sheva