White House says Europe is determined to halt Russian energy exports

A view shows gas wells in Gazprom’s Bovanenkovo ​​gas field in the arctic Yamal Peninsula, Russia, May 21, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo

WASHINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) – A senior White House adviser said Friday he was confident Europe was committed to shutting down or further curtailing Russia’s remaining oil and gas exports as Moscow’s war in Ukraine dragged on.

“I am confident that Europe gets the message and they are determined to shut down this last source of export revenue,” Daleep Singh, deputy White House national security adviser, said in an interview with CNN.

Oil exports are the Kremlin’s main source of foreign exchange, and many in the European Union have called for an end to oil payments because they effectively fund Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Gas is also another important source of revenue for Russia, but its ban has not yet been properly discussed at the EU level because the bloc relies on it. Continue reading

Singh, the White House contact for sanctions against Russia, said discussions on the issue are ongoing.

“It is important that they do this as soon as possible. And do it intelligently,” he said.

Measures to restrict Russian energy supplies to Europe must be designed in a way that cuts into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s revenues, lest they be used to fund his war machine, Singh said.

“And they must be designed in such a way that Europe and the rest of the world do not bear most of the costs. So that’s the discussion that’s going on right now.”

Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Edited by Paul Simao

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