Since the state-owned Russian energy giant Gazprom decided to further throttle the flow of gas to Europe, several countries look set to face a difficult winter.
The company states that the cause is technical problems with the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba believes that this is part of Russia's blackmail against Europe, which began even before the major offensive began.
- The action aims to smash the European economy to pieces by playing with gas prices.
Harder times are ahead
The sharply rising energy prices are already putting great pressure on industry as well as households.
If gas deliveries from Russia were to be stopped completely, the experts expect significantly higher prices for natural gas, which would probably drive up the already historically high inflation.
Kuleba understands the pain that many Europeans have experienced and that will most likely worsen in the coming winter months.
- Believe me, we are preparing for a much worse winter than any European country does.
We understand the difficulties, the fear and the concern.
But let's be clear: Europe has been dependent on Russian energy supplies for decades, and for Russia energy has always been politics, it has never been about economics.
Recovery costs
A majority of EU countries agree to voluntarily reduce gas consumption by 15 percent to reduce dependence.
Kuleba urges Europe to continue looking for new, less self-destructive paths.
- Every addict must go through a painful rehabilitation to recover;
to have a better future.
We have a difficult time ahead of us but once we have learned to live without Russian gas, when we can replace it with energy sources from other countries, our lives will be better and above all safer, says Kuleba.