By LIUDAS DAPKUS, Related Press
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania says it has reduce itself off fully of fuel imports from Russia, allegedly changing into the primary of the European Union’s 27 nations utilizing Russian fuel to interrupt its power dependence upon Moscow.
“Searching for full power independence from Russian fuel, in response to Russia’s power blackmail in Europe and the conflict in Ukraine, Lithuania has fully deserted Russian fuel,” Lithuania’s power ministry stated in a press release late Saturday, including that the measure took impact to start with of April.
Lithuania managed cut back imports of Russian fuel to zero on Saturday, a transfer seen a milestone in attaining power independence within the former Soviet republic of two.8 million, the ministry stated.
“We’re the primary EU nation amongst Gazprom’s provide nations to achieve independence from Russian fuel provides, and that is the results of a multi-year coherent power coverage and well timed infrastructure choices,” Minister of Vitality Dainius Kreivys stated.
Political Cartoons on World Leaders
Political Cartoons
Lithuanian President posted an upbeat tweet on his account and urged different European nations to do the identical.
“From this month on — no extra Russian fuel in Lithuania. Years in the past, my nation made choices that at this time permit us with no ache to interrupt power ties with the aggressor. If we will do it, the remainder of Europe can do it too!”
In 2015, almost 100% of Lithuania’s fuel provides derived from imports of Russian fuel however the state of affairs has modified drastically over the previous years after the nation constructed an off-shore LNG import terminal, launched in 2014, within the port metropolis of Klaipeda.
The power ministry stated any longer all fuel for Lithuania’s home consumption could be imported through Klaipeda’s LNG terminal.
Final 12 months, some 26% of Lithuania’s fuel provides derived from deliveries from a Russian fuel pipeline whereas 62% got here through Klaipeda’s LNG terminal and the remaining 12% have been imported from a fuel storage in neighboring Latvia.
Baltic neighbors Latvia and Estonia are additionally closely depending on Russian fuel however the operator of Latvia’s pure fuel storage stated not one of the three Baltic states have been importing Russian fuel as of April 2.
Uldis Bariss, the CEO of Conexus Baltic Grid, informed Latvian media on Saturday that the Baltic fuel market was at present being served by fuel reserves saved underground in Latvia.
Final month, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte stated Klaipeda’s LNG terminal wouldn’t have sufficient capability to offer fuel for all of the three Baltic nations.
As an answer, Estonia’s authorities has proposed constructing a LNG terminal collectively with Latvia and Nordic neighbor Finland within the Estonian port metropolis of Paldiski, which isn’t removed from the capital, Tallinn.
Jari Tanner in Helsinki, Finland contributed to this report
Observe all AP tales on Russia’s conflict on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.
Copyright 2022 The Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials will not be printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
