MOSCOW, March 21 (Xinhua) -- European politicians are deliberately plunging their countries into crisis and darkness by continuing to reject Russian energy resources, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday.
"It is not a technical disaster nor any natural cataclysms that are causing the global crisis in the European Union (EU), but rather the decisions of its own leaders, who are simply flipping the switch," Maria Zakharova said in a post on her Telegram channel.
On Friday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed the EU's unwavering position, which categorically precludes member states from procuring Russian natural gas even in the event of a severe energy crisis in Europe, amid the escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
The stance had met with resistance from some of its member countries heavily reliant on Russian energy supplies. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban earlier this month called on the EU to suspend sanctions on Russian energy, warning that rising oil prices and supply disruptions pose risks to regional energy security. ■
