Amid media reports that EU officials are considering to resume buying Russian gas, Lithuanian Energy Minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas this option should not be under discussion right now.
“Both the decision to no longer buy Russian gas and the reduction of gas consumption in general is the direction EU countries and Lithuania are looking in. Certainly, at this stage, we should not be talking about such scenarios,” Vaičiūnas said on Friday. “I think that Lithuania would be quite reserved about such news and agreements.”
However, he admitted, “nothing can be ruled out” in the later stages of negotiation.
“But Lithuania maintains that we have proven with our personal contribution that we can be independent from Russian gas supplies and we were the first to stop buying it in the European Union. We must continue to demonstrate this position. All the more so, we have alternatives in the energy sector and they are becoming cheaper and cheaper,” the Lithuanian energy minister said.
Vaičiūnas says he raised the issue of reducing the consumption of Russian LNG during the meeting of EU energy ministers in December and expects the European Commission to present a plan for this shortly.
The Financial Times reported on Thursday that Brussels was considering the possibility of resuming Russian gas purchases, with the proponents of such an idea arguing that it would reduce high energy prices in Europe, encourage Moscow to come to the negotiating table and give both sides a reason to impose and maintain a ceasefire.
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