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Europe has significantly reduced its reliance on Russian energy. Russian pipeline gas imports dropped from over 40% in 2021 to about 8% in 2023 (https://www.con
by rendall 2y ago
Europe has significantly reduced its reliance on Russian energy. Russian pipeline gas imports dropped from over 40% in 2021 to about 8% in 2023 (https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/where-does-the-eu-s-gas-come-from https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/where-does-t...).
Yes, some Russian oil still makes its way to Europe, often through indirect routes. In 2023, the EU imported 130 million barrels of refined products from refineries processing Russian crude, adding about €1.1 billion in tax revenue to Russia (https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-gas/eu-purchases-of-laundered-russian-oil-worth-an-estimated-11-billion-to-the-kremlin-in-2023 https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-gas/eu-pur...). The EU is working to close these loopholes.
Meanwhile, EU financial aid to Ukraine in 2024 stands at €18.7 billion, compared to €21.9 billion paid for Russian fossil fuels (https://energyandcleanair.org/publication/eu-imports-of-russian-fossil-fuels-in-third-year-of-invasion-surpass-financial-aid-sent-to-ukraine https://energyandcleanair.org/publication/eu-imports-of-russ...). But military support tells a different story: the EU and member states have committed €48.7 billion in military aid, including tanks, air-defense systems, and fighter jets (https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/military-support-ukraine https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/military-support...).
The claim that Europe is buying more from Russia than it’s giving Ukraine ignores the scale of military aid and the long-term shift away from Russian energy. It’s not perfect, but it’s far from "shambolic."