Russia directly attacks Italy and the plan of the Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani aimed at reducing gas consumption and freeing itself from Russian energy dependence.
The threat comes from Maria Zakharova , Serghei Lavrov's spokesperson, according to whom our country obeys Brussels on US orders. With the result that "the Italians will suffer": the made in Italy companies "will be destroyed by the brothers from overseas, will collapse and be bought cheaply by the Yankees". "Rome - he insists - is pushed to economic suicide due to the Euro-Atlantic sanctioning frenzy".
The spokesman of the Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio refers to the sender, accusing his Russian colleague "of new instrumental interference on the vote ": it is Moscow that "throttles Italian families and businesses with gas increases", replies Giuseppe Marici. "Let's not waste time commenting on the crazy statements of Russian personalities", a spokesman for the EU Commission cut short from Brussels.
The energy sold to Europe is and remains an indispensable source for Russia which only from the beginning of the war with those proceeds (85 billion out of a global total of 158) has covered almost all the costs of the invasion in Ukraine (100 billion ), according to a study by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Moscow aims to place gas and its black gold in the East but cannot afford to lose the Old Continent and is convinced that it has the knife on the side of the handle: despite the efforts to reduce consumption and diversify supplies, the EU it will not "be able to do without Russian gas until 2027," said Russian Energy Minister Nikolay Shulginov.
Meanwhile, the EU goes to counterattack on visas for Russian citizens: the Commission has approved the proposal to block the visa facilitation agreement with Russia from 12 September, ready - after the approval of the European Council - to make them more difficult and expensive. While those already issued (about one million) will be reviewed.
