European Union leaders consider reducing their dependency on Russian energy

European Union leaders consider reducing their dependency on Russian energy

Transcript¹

EU foreign ministers, who are meeting Monday, are going to discuss more steps concerning the war in Ukraine. One question is whether Europe will reduce its dependence² on buying Russia oil and gas.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Foreign ministers from the European Union are meeting today to discuss the war in Ukraine. And they're expected to approve money for supplying Ukraine with more weapons. But the big question is whether they will agree to reduce Europe's dependence on Russian oil and gas. Those energy purchases provide the Kremlin with a lot of money it can use for Russia's economy or to fund its war on Ukraine. NPR's international affairs correspondent, Jackie Northam, joins us to talk about this. Jackie, the European Union has imposed sanctions on Russian individuals, banks and government entities³, but it has not stopped buying Russian oil or gas. Why is that?

JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE⁴: Well, the simple answer is that Europe is too dependent on Russian energy. Now, last week, the EU did announce that it was banning coal imports from Russia, and that'll be phased out over the next several months. Coal can easily be bought elsewhere, and it doesn't account for a huge slice of Russia's energy reserves. But oil and gas is different. Much of Europe relies on it to heat homes and run their factories. And cutting off those supplies could have a serious impact on their own economies. There is some discussion about slowly phasing out oil and gas or using tariffs⁵ but nothing more than talk right now. It helps that the weather is getting warmer now, so there's less need for heating homes. Also, the U.S. is looking for ways to - you know, to substitute Russian energy so maybe Europe can cut off from Russia in the future but just not right now.

MARTINEZ: So how crucial are energy exports for the Russian economy?

NORTHAM: Oh, Moscow relies on the revenue from those European oil and gas sales. You know, we're talking about $850 million a day that's going into the Kremlin. And that money is helping⁶ prop⁷ up, you know, Russia's budget but also the war effort in Ukraine. Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba - last week, he implored⁸ the European Union to crack down on Europe's energy sector⁹. Here he is.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

DMYTRO KULEBA: As long as the West continues buying Russian gas and oil, it is supporting Ukraine with one hand while supporting Russia war machine with another hand.

NORTHAM: And, A, Kuleba said there needed to be immediate¹⁰ action taken to prevent more atrocities¹¹ in Ukraine that we've seen, you know, last week. And he said cutting off Russian oil and gas would be a way to do that.

MARTINEZ: And the point of considering any of this is that it might influence Vladimir Putin. How might it figure into his calculations if - if - Europe were to stop buying Russian oil and gas?

NORTHAM: Well, it would be cutting off one of Russia's main revenue streams. So it certainly would have an impact. And, you know, that could leave Putin vulnerable. Now, how that plays out is unclear. It could make Putin back down, you know, bring him to the negotiating table. But more likely, it could just make him much more dangerous because at that point, he has nothing to lose.

MARTINEZ: Yeah. Could Russia maybe turn to other countries to try and make up for the loss of revenue that it would not be getting from Europe?

NORTHAM: Right. Well, sales to places like India and China have definitely picked up. And neither country has sanctioned Russia. You know, and both countries are driving a hard bargain, and they are getting Russian crude at rock-bottom prices. But the other thing that's happening is something called self-sanctioning. So there are some countries and certainly oil traders that are just staying away from Russian crude. You know, they don't want to handle it, trade it, buy it, you know, because there's this fear that somewhere down the road, they could also be hit with sanctions just by associating with Russia.

MARTINEZ: That's NPR international affairs correspondent Jackie Northam. Jackie, thanks.

NORTHAM: Thank you so much.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

3 entities   

实体对像； 实体，独立存在体，实际存在物( entity的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Our newspaper and our printing business form separate corporate entities. 我们的报纸和印刷业形成相对独立的企业实体。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities. 北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 prop   

vt.支撑；n.支柱，支撑物；支持者，靠山

参考例句：

• A worker put a prop against the wall of the tunnel to keep it from falling.一名工人用东西支撑住隧道壁好使它不会倒塌。
• The government does not intend to prop up declining industries.政府无意扶持不景气的企业。

8 implored   

恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She implored him to stay. 她恳求他留下。
• She implored him with tears in her eyes to forgive her. 她含泪哀求他原谅她。

9 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

10 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

11 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》