Putin accuses Europe of double standards on green energy, says Russia remains a reliable global gas supplier
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused European countries of applying double standards on climate policy Tuesday, arguing that they restricted developing countries’ use of hydrocarbons before turning back to coal when Europe faced its own energy crisis.
Speaking at the eighth Gas Exporting Countries Forum summit in Moscow, Putin said gas producers supported the transition to cleaner energy but warned against using the “green agenda” for domestic political purposes.
“We should act as responsible stakeholders and take into account the specifics of the gas sector during the transition period and afterward,” Putin said.
He argued that coal and hydrocarbons had helped fuel Europe’s own industrial development before European governments began pressing developing economies to reduce fossil-fuel use. When energy supplies became more difficult, Putin said, Europeans “reopened coal mines,” asking: “Where did the green agenda go?”
Several European countries did temporarily expand or reactivate coal-fired generation during the energy crisis that followed Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, although the EU has continued pursuing longer-term reductions in fossil-fuel use.
Putin also described Russia as one of the central players in the global gas market, saying it holds the world’s largest natural-gas reserves and ranks second in production. He called Russia a “predictable and reliable partner” despite Western efforts to reduce reliance on its energy.
Turning to Venezuela, Putin said Russian companies had invested billions of dollars in the country’s energy sector and that Moscow wanted the cooperation to continue. He said Russia was prepared to work with Venezuelan authorities, local partners and companies from third countries.
Putin also denounced sanctions as “a tool of unfair competition,” arguing that restrictions ultimately create economic consequences for the countries imposing them as well as their targets.