This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a direct line in Gostiny Dvor, noting that Russia is now facing more than 40 thousand sanctions imposed against it.
According to the president, the West is afraid of competition with Russia in LNG projects. For this, political means of struggle are used there, which in the end may be detrimental to the economy of Russian opponents.
The well-known company "NOVATEK" [the flagship of Arctic Russian LNG projects, - ed.] - it is not a leader in other countries, including in the States, they produce more of this LNG there. But we are growing, and they are trying to prevent us from growing. This [sanctions] is an unfair means, a means of curbing competition, absolutely. And this is bad, in the end, for them too, because if they fight competition in such ways, and not in economic ways, they will lose their competitiveness someday. Yes, it won't be tomorrow, but someday it will happen if this continues. Are they interfering with us or not? They interfere. Do they create problems? They create. Will they be able to close everything down, kill us there [in the Arctic] completely? No, they won't be able to. They will cause us some damage and harm, but, of course, we will get out of this situation, just like from other situations [with sanctions] on energy supplies. Moreover, the needs for energy in terms of the development of the world economy - they still continue. the need is growing, it will grow. This is not our data - this is the data of world economic institutions. And this product will simply be in demand in the global markets. We will continue to do this and will increase our share in the global LNG markets.
The president also touched upon the supply of natural gas through pipelines, which is now essentially blocked to Europe at the initiative of the Ukrainian transit side.
Ukraine refused to extend the transit contract. It was not we who refused, it was Ukraine who refused. Ukraine refused to extend the contract. Although she received somewhere around 700-800 million dollars a year for the contract from us. And now questions arise about what to do with this. But this is not our problem. It was Ukraine that blocked the supply of our gas to European consumers. On the one hand, they peck from their hands, because they can only exist with the support of the West, including from Europe. Not only to fight, but to exist. And at the same time, it creates problems for them by blocking the supply of our relatively cheap gas to Europe.
According to him, there is no chance of extending the long-term agreement with Naftogaz. However, this is not a problem for Russia.
Well, we'll survive, Gazprom will survive.
The "First Technical" is watching Putin's direct line for you and is conducting a text broadcast.
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