Pressman's Hypocrisy Has No Bounds

Russian energy continues to flow into Western countries.

David Pressman, the outgoing US ambassador to Budapest (Photo: Anadolu via AFP)

Russian energy is flowing into Western countries

The hypocrisy exhibited by the US ambassador and the outgoing Biden administration knows no bounds as Western countries continue to buy large amounts of Russian energy. Until November 18 of this year, France had bought more LNG from Moscow than in any other full year since imports began in 2018, the economics news portal Vilaggazdasag reports. It is not clear how much of the Russian LNG landing in France is used there and how much is sent on to other parts of Europe after being channeled into the pipeline network. A spokesman for the French energy ministry confirmed that some of the LNG that is fed into the pipelines via the coastal terminals is sent on to Eastern European countries.

For the time being, Gazprom is still sending gas to Europe via Ukraine at the usual levels, even after it stopped direct deliveries to Austria.

Russian LNG imports arriving at the Port of Rotterdam have also increased substantially, and Spain and Belgium are still receiving LNG from Russia. Several Central European countries, including Slovakia and the Czech Republic, receive gas from Russia by pipeline, although the supply contract expires at the end of the year.

Cover photo: David Pressman, the outgoing US ambassador to Budapest (Photo: AFP)