In search of the extreme: why Poland accused Russia of exacerbating the energy crisis in Europe

The Polish Institute of International Relations (PISM) issued a bulletin in which it accused Russia and Gazprom of trying to exacerbate the energy crisis in Europe.

"By causing unrest in the EU gas market, Russia intends to increase the EU's dependence on its supplies," reads the document, the text of which was read by RT.

According to the authors of the publication, the EU decarbonization policy based on the use of renewable energy sources is allegedly viewed by Russia as a threat to the country's interests, since in the long term it will lead to a reduction in energy demand.

The document emphasizes that Russia considers the reasons for the current crisis to be precisely this European policy, as well as the EU's transition to short-term (spot) fuel supply contracts.

At the same time, according to Polish analysts, Moscow insists on accelerated certification of Nord Stream 2.

The authors fear that with the launch of this pipeline, Russia could cut off gas supplies through Ukraine and the Yamal-Europe pipeline.

"Nord Stream - 2" will allow Russia to actually get rid of transit through Ukraine and the Yamal - Europe gas pipeline passing through Poland, which can already be used to increase gas supplies to the EU, "the article says.

Recall that in mid-October 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the plenary session of the Russian Energy Week forum, announced his readiness to extend the contract for gas transit through the territory of Ukraine after 2024, “if economic and technological conditions are created”. 

Later, during the plenary session of the 18th meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club, the Russian leader noted that the gas shortage in Europe is the result of the economic policy pursued by the EU authorities.

“The entire philosophy of the European Commission in recent years has been aimed at regulating the energy market, including gas, through the exchange, through the so-called spot.

And we were convinced of the need to abandon the so-called long-term contracts, the prices of which are tied to the exchange, by the way, to market quotations for crude oil and petroleum products, ”Putin explained.

• Vladimir Putin speaks at the plenary session of the 18th annual meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club

• RIA News

• © Maxim Blinov

Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations of involvement in the energy crisis in Europe.

Thus, Russia's Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov stated that Moscow is fulfilling its contractual obligations.

According to him, the Russian side is ready to supply more gas to Europe upon receipt of applications from specific consumers.

“Russia is not opposed to giving more, but for this they must turn to suppliers, that is, to the same Gazprom, not from the tribunes of parliaments, not from the pages of newspapers, but must (contact -

) specific buyers who would provide certain applications at the appropriate prices, "Chizhov explained.

"Trying to Shift the Blame"

Nevertheless, PISM experts urge the European Commission to launch an antitrust case against Gazprom "for abuse of its dominant position in the market."

In this regard, Vladimir Olenchenko, senior researcher at the Center for European Studies at the IMEMO RAS, in a conversation with RT, recalled that at the end of October, the Polish energy company PGNiG asked Gazprom to lower gas prices.

“Artificial exaltation towards Gazprom breathes hypocrisy, since in parallel Poland (PGNiG) asked Gazprom to sell gas at a special, low price.

That is, the Poles are behaving unethically and incorrectly, ”Olenchenko said.

According to him, Warsaw "uses any noise" in order to divert the attention of the European Union from its own problems (earlier, the Polish government supported the ruling of the country's Constitutional Court, which recognized the priority of national legislation over the norms of the European Union).

In turn, Igor Yushkov, an expert at the Financial University under the Russian government and a leading analyst at the National Energy Security Fund, is convinced that such attacks by Poland are aimed at countering Nord Stream 2.

"The main point of accusations from Poland is to prove that Russia is using gas as an energy weapon," said the interlocutor of RT.

He recalled that the acting Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel announced in August about the possible introduction of new sanctions against the SP-2 if it is used as a "weapon".

In addition, according to Yushkov, Europe does not want to admit its guilt in the situation on the energy market, so they benefit from accusations against Russia.

“No European authorities want to admit that they themselves are to blame for the energy crisis, that they were decommissioning gas and coal-fired power plants, and then there was a shortage that they did not stock up on energy resources for the winter,” the expert emphasized.

Reverse problem

In their publication, Polish analysts also say that Kiev may suffer the most from attempts to “exacerbate the gas crisis in Europe”.

The text of the document says that the level of gas and coal reserves in Ukraine at the beginning of the heating season does not guarantee uninterrupted power supply to enterprises.

And the reduction in the volume of gas transit through its territory reduces the likelihood of "reverse deliveries" to this country.

Among other things, the authors of the publication note, this may lead to the need to import electricity from Belarus and Russia, which may delay the synchronization of the Ukrainian energy system with the EU.

In this regard, Poland is ready to help, the document says.

"Poland may urge Ukraine to invest in the construction of another interconnection pipeline that will allow Poland to carry out quick emergency deliveries in the event of a gas shortage in the country," the PISM bulletin says.

At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities argue that the country needs to disconnect from the Russian energy system in order to get rid of Moscow's "strategic influence" on the electricity industry.

This was announced in October by the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmygal.

Also in October, European Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said that the European Commission expects full integration of the Ukrainian energy market into the European network.