00:00Is the EU self-castrating by rejecting Russia's energy resources?
00:08Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zaharova, is overstating claims that Europe is facing a severe energy crisis as a result
00:15of the Iran war.
00:16In a Telegram post, she mocked the EU for engaging in self-castration by upholding sanctions on Russian energy following
00:23Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
00:25Zaharova said Europe will approach the 20th sanctions package in good shape and quoted a Dutch energy-saving campaign that,
00:32amongst other things, suggested that people reduce the duration of their showers.
00:36She was basing her claims on a widely spread campaign by Dutch provider Energy Bank to combat energy poverty.
00:42The initiative is real, consisting of 10 energy-saving tips.
00:46These include things like closing doors to keep the room warm, hanging laundry out instead of using a dryer, and,
00:52as mentioned by Zaharova, limiting showers to just 5 minutes.
00:55But the campaign was developed in 2021 and has nothing to do with Europe's response to the crisis in the
01:00Middle East.
01:01Instead, it is based on a 2021 study conducted by the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, which found that more
01:08than 500,000 Dutch households unnecessarily spend 10% of their income on energy bills.
01:13Now, it is true that the EU is facing an energy crisis, as the war in Iran has sent price
01:18shocks across the globe.
01:19This is due to ballooning oil and gas prices and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
01:23The EU, since 2022, has reduced its reliance on Russian resources by finding new suppliers, filling gas storage, and producing
01:31more of its own energy through renewables.
01:34It has also strengthened key systems like larger gas storage reserves, expanded energy import terminals, and bettered cross-border electricity
01:41connections.
01:42So Zaharova's claims misinterpret the situation, as energy-saving initiatives are long-standing and common in the EU, and in
01:49the case of the ones she quotes,
01:51not evidence of a new crisis caused by current geopolitical events.
01:54We'll be right back.
01:58Bye now.
01:58.
01:58.
01:59.
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