00:00Is the EU self-castrating by rejecting Russia's energy resources?
00:08Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, 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.
00:25Zakharova 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 Zakharova, 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 Zakharova's claims misinterpret the situation as energy-saving initiatives are long-standing and common in the EU,
01:49and, in the case of the ones she quotes, not evidence of a new crisis caused by current geopolitical events.
01:54Can you see any questions on the next slide?
01:55JkB Kelly
01:56JkB Kelly
01:57Beeno that belated
01:58It is digital
01:58You can still
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