European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that the EU had “prepared” for a Russian gas disruption, and is preparing “a coordinated response”, as Gazprom suspended deliveries to Bulgaria and Poland. “We stand united and in solidarity with the affected member states,” she said.
The EU had been “prepared” for a Russian gas cut and is preparing “a coordinated response”, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday after Gazprom suspended supplies to Bulgaria and Poland. . “Gazprom’s announcement is another attempt by Russia to gas blackmail us. We are prepared for this scenario. We are developing our coordinated European response. Europeans can be sure that we stand united and in solidarity with the Member States affected”, she reacted on Twitter.
Gazprom’s announcement is another attempt by Russia to blackmail us with gas.
We are prepared for this scenario. We are mapping out our coordinated EU response.
Europeans can trust that we stand united and in solidarity with the Member States impacted.
—Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 27, 2022
The Russian group Gazprom announced on Wednesday that it had suspended all its gas deliveries to Bulgaria and Poland, assuring that these two member countries of NATO and the European Union had not made any payment in rubles. Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month that Russia would only accept payment for gas deliveries in its national currency, in reaction to sanctions imposed to punish the Kremlin offensive in Ukraine.
Poland and Bulgaria ready to do without Russian gas
“Member States have contingency plans in place for such a scenario and we have worked with them in coordination and solidarity”, she added, announcing that a meeting of the “Coordination Group for the gas” was taking place “at this very moment”. The president of the European executive deemed this “unilateral cessation” of deliveries “unjustified and unacceptable”. “This once again shows Russia’s unreliability as a gas supplier,” she said.