REUTERS
Zakharova believes that the U.S., via Ukraine," attempts to spoil excellent relations in the energy sector that Russia's had with Europe for decades."
A spokesperson for Russia's Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova suggests that Europe will be forced to switch to firewood if the construction of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is blocked.
"It's not the first time we see EU politicians blocking energy projects, which are peaceful, profitable, and promising. You should understand perfectly well that many of those considering themselves someone expressing ordinary people's opinions are simply supported by certain lobby groups, and sometimes just by special structures," she said, commenting on a resolution adopted by the European Parliament calling for the bloking of the Nord Stream 2 construction, an UNIAN correspondent in Russia reported from a Moscow briefing Dec 13.
According to Zakharova, opposing cooperation in energy sector, its diversification, and modernization is like madness for Europe, which needs energy sources.
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"If they count on global warming, then this is a good prospective thing, but it's a question time. If they don't rely on global warming, then what are they counting on? Nuclear power plants are shutting down in certain countries, while they are calling to refuse from Russian gas. Will they switch to firewood? We also know where one should go and get firewood," she said.
"Whose interests are these people expressing? If they state they're expressing the interests of ordinary people, then this is a lie. Everyone needs heat at optimal prices," the spokesperson said.
Zakharova added that cooperation between Moscow and European states in the field of energy had never been interrupted no matter political crises.
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"And this is not the statement by the Russian side, this is what the Europeans and European businessmen say: every winter, heat used to be supplied to them without any conditions. And who's always been, so to speak, spoiling the atmosphere? Unfortunately, it's Ukrainian politicians, who were supported, in particular, by their American curators," she said.
Zakharova claims Washington "was all the time engaged in blackmail on energy interaction," "adding that "while presenting this as allegedly Russia's pressure on Ukraine, in fact, they were simply trying to spoil our excellent relations in energy sector that Russia had had with Europe for decades," Zakharova said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, the European Parliament called on EU member states to abandon construction of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea. A corresponding resolution on developments related to the EU-Ukraine association agreement was supported by 433 MEPs.