Gas company . File photoMOSCOW, Jan 28Moscow expects that Western partners will refrain from further politicization of cooperation in the field of energy and will not shoot themselves in the foot, Russian Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said in an interview with the Izvestia newspaper. Chizhov recalled that the Russia-EU energy dialogue was frozen in 2014 not at the Russian initiative. Therefore, one cannot talk about joint energy projects that would be formalized as agreements at the bilateral level, he said. «The projects that are currently being implemented, including the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, are commercial projects with the participation of Russian and European energy companies. We proceed from that they meet the interests of economic operators and investors implementing them, and will also benefit European consumers in the future.We hope that our Western partners will refrain from further politicization of energy cooperation and will not «shoot themselves in the foot,» he said. to emphasize once again: Russia is not taking steps leading to an escalation of tension around Ukraine. Accordingly, the question of a possible aggravation of the situation there and potential new anti-Russian sanctions depends primarily on the prudence and pragmatism of the Europeans themselves,» the diplomat said. Western countries threaten Russia with unprecedented sanctions in the event of an escalation in Ukraine.
Russia reminded the EU of the mutual benefit from Russian gas statements about «Russian aggression» are used as an excuse to deploy more NATO military equipment near Russian borders. The Russian Foreign Ministry previously noted that Western statements about «Russian aggression» and the ability to help Kiev defend itself against it are both ridiculous and dangerous. In this regard, Kiev and Western states have recently expressed concern about the alleged increase in «aggressive actions» by Russia near the borders Ukraine. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is moving troops within its territory and at its own discretion. According to him, this does not threaten anyone and should not bother anyone.
