Sybiha: Return of Russian gas to the EU threatens Europe's security

Energy as a tool of pressure

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha voiced harsh criticism of proposals to resume Russian gas supplies to European Union countries. In a post on social media platform X, where he commented on an article by The Economist, the head of the Foreign Ministry emphasised that for Russia, the energy sector serves as a weapon, not a sphere of commercial activity.

Lessons of the past and strategic mistakes

According to Sybiha, Europe is only now beginning to achieve true energy independence after decades of blackmail from Moscow. The minister recalled key decisions that influenced the security situation on the continent.

«Для Москви енергетика – це зброя, а не бізнес. Цей урок було засвоєно важким шляхом. У 2019 році тверде рішення президента Трампа зупинити будівництво "Північного потоку-2" стало одним із найбільших вкладень у безпеку Європи. Навпаки, рішення США дозволити відновлення будівництва у 2021 році стало однією з найтяжчих стратегічних помилок» (For Moscow, energy is a weapon, not a business. This lesson was learned the hard way. In 2019, President Trump's firm decision to halt the construction of "Nord Stream 2" became one of the biggest investments in Europe's security. Conversely, the US decision to allow the resumption of construction in 2021 became one of the heaviest strategic mistakes), the minister explained.

Preconditions for the full-scale invasion

Andrii Sybiha is convinced that the ability to transport Russian gas to Europe bypassing Ukraine created the preconditions for Russia's full-scale invasion. He added that previous strategic miscalculations brought Europe neither greater prosperity nor an increased level of security. Instead, these decisions caused war, chaos, and crisis.

Paths to ending the war

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister emphasised that it is impossible to end the war through concessions to Russia, the conclusion of business deals, or flattery. In his opinion, pressure on Moscow must be intensified, and the Russian leadership must be deprived of the resources necessary to continue hostilities.