Borelj: The EU is also preparing for the not-so-easy situation of Russia cutting off gas supplies, Putin reckons with democratic fatigue

The European Union (EU) is also preparing for "the not-so-easy situation of Russia cutting off gas supplies" and that is why we are waiting to see what will happen on July 21, when the overhaul of the main gas pipeline North Stream 1 should be completed, EU High Representative Josep said today in Brussels Borelj after the session of the heads of the Union's diplomacy.

Borelj said this when there is visible concern in the EU about what will happen after July 21, since the Russian company Gazprom announced that the overhauled key equipment for the continuation of Nord Stream 1 has not yet arrived from Canada, and some members of the Union are warning that in their economies may collapse if the flow of Russian gas stops.

When asked by a journalist how he views the discussion in the EU that the Union itself is threatened with increasing damage from EU sanctions against Russia, Borelj replied that this is not true, especially when it comes to the jump in oil prices, explaining with the help of a graph that oil prices have just fallen when the EU imposed sanctions on Moscow.

He accepted the assessment that there was a worldwide jump in the prices of food, energy and artificial fertilizers, but repeated the EU's position that the blame for this was borne by "the war waged by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin".

Borelj emphasized that "Putin is counting on democratic fatigue" within the Union, but he said that "the European Union must endure in supporting Ukraine, because there is no other way out."

According to him, the war waged by Russia in Ukraine is a threat to democracy itself in the EU, and that is why the Union will continue its economic support and aid in arms to Ukraine.

When asked by a journalist how the EU intends to provide the nine billion euros promised to Ukraine for macroeconomic support, the high representative of the EU replied that EU members have already allocated 500 million euros for additional arms deliveries, as well as XNUMX billion euros for macroeconomic assistance to Kiev, and that it is being considered how provide an additional eight billion euros for the budget costs of the Ukrainian government.