London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 11, 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

0:00
0:00
Close
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
Generations Born After 1939 Unlikely to Reach Age One Hundred, New Study Finds
End to a four-year manhunt in New Zealand: the father who abducted his children to the forests was killed, the three siblings were found
Germany Suspends Debt Rules, Funnels €500 Billion Toward Military and Proxy War Strategy
EU Prepares for War
BMW Eyes Growth in China with New All‑Electric Neue Klasse Lineup
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Florida Murder Case: The Adelson Family, the Killing of Dan Markel, and the Trial of Donna Adelson
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
×