France-Clement Bonn: We must reduce all our dependencies, especially on Russian gas

“We must reduce all our dependence, especially on Russian gas,” said French Deputy Foreign Minister for European Affairs Clement Bon in an interview with FRANCE INTER.

The French Deputy Foreign Minister called for the plan to reduce Russian gas consumption by two thirds proposed by the European Commission to be followed. “We need to reduce all our dependencies as soon as possible,” he said.

“We have to be as innovative as we did for Covid. We have to be able to go a lot further in a few weeks,” he added.

“Russia is based on the fact that we are dependent, that we need its energy, its gas and that is what is happening today. 40% of the natural gas we import into Europe comes from Russia. Let us reduce it as soon as possible,” he said. .

The European Commission has proposed a plan to reduce Russian gas consumption by two-thirds by the end of 2022 “which would allow consumption to be stopped by 2030 at the latest. I think we must follow this plan,” he said. Bonn and continued:

“We will discuss it with the Germans, the Italians. In France, we have made energy choices that have secured sovereignty. It is not total as it is less than 20% of the gas coming from Russia. For Germany and Italy it is very “For Romania and Austria, 100% of the gas comes from Russia,” he explained. most Russian gas. “This is not guaranteed at the moment,” he said.

On the issue of defense co-operation in the EU, Bonn said. “We need to reinvest in defense at European level, speed up our energy transition and stop using Russian gas. All of this will require money.” That is why, he concluded, “we have to look at all the options, including a new European investment plan, the common European aid. sometimes a bureaucratic European routine ”.

Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ