Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

EU’s green energy policy must be based on economic & climate concerns, not political competition

EU’s green energy policy must be based on economic & climate concerns, not political competition

Europe’s clean energy initiatives should be based on a rational long-term strategy, including both the needs of economic development and environmental protection, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told RT.

Hungary was the first European nation to ratify the Paris climate agreement, Szijjarto said, adding that Budapest would very much like to see Europe achieving the goals set out in the European Green Deal – a set of policy initiatives aimed at making the EU climate-neutral by 2050.

However, the pursuit of these goals, which involves EU states cutting emissions by at least 50% by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels) should not turn into an irrational political debate or senseless competition, the foreign minister told RT.

Szijjarto said EU nations need a viable long-term strategy that considers economic development as well as climate concerns, which he said can go hand-in-hand, adding that disrupting this balance will undermine the credibility of green policies.

Gas, including that supplied by Russia, “must be considered one of the main sources of energy when it comes to the transition period,” the foreign minister said.

Unfortunately, some European politicians have let themselves be guided by political squabbles, he said, adding that “there is a very strong anti-gas sentiment in some circles in European politics,” amid continued tensions between Brussels and Moscow.

Szijjarto criticized what he called “very short-sighted decisions” from the European side, and called for a setting aside of politics and a return to “normality, common sense, and rationality” regarding energy strategy, including gas supplies.


“The delivery routes are there. If we can utilize the delivery routes, I do not think there should be a problem during the winter,” he said.

The FM’s words come amid soaring gas prices in Europe. Some nations have seen prices rise by as much as 250% in recent days, with a knock-on effect being felt in the industry. Homeowners also face higher heating bills with winter fast approaching. Several energy companies in the UK, which has seen some of the sharpest increases, have entered into talks with the government to prevent them from potentially going bust.

Some European politicians were quick to blame the development on Russia – something Moscow has repeatedly denied. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last month that Russian energy giant Gazprom was fulfilling all of its commitments under the contracts with its European partners.

Earlier, President Vladimir Putin said Russia could supply additional gas to Europe, while blaming the soaring prices on European leaders’ decision to opt out of long-term gas contracts in favor of spot prices, which opened the door to stock market speculation.

Reliance on wind farms could be another factor behind the crisis, since it resulted in a shortage of electricity, Putin said.

Last week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban blamed the record prices on “bureaucrats in Brussels” who are fighting for ecology by continuously raising the price of energy generated from coal and gas. He also said the EU should abandon its climate policies if they are the reason for the crisis.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
×