Membership in the European Union helps to protect energosistemu the UK from possible threats from Russia. This was stated by the head of the British Moonrage amber Rudd, who is opposed to withdrawal from the EU.
“To rely on energy from abroad is risky. We have seen how countries such as Russia [the President] Vladimir Putin’s use of gas supplies as a foreign policy. Threaten to reduce or dramatically raise prices,” the Minister said (quote via The Guardian).
According to Rudd, Britain can ill afford to let its “energy security was captured and became a political pawn” that “will put Europe on its knees”. “Working in the European Union, each state can make it become a reality,” she explained.
“As a block, which consists of 500 million people, we have the power to stand up to Putin. We can coordinate our response to the crisis. We can use the power of the domestic market to get gas from other sources. We can lower the price of imports, as happened recently in Eastern Europe, — said the head of the Ministry of energy. — Simply put, when it comes to Russian gas, it is necessary to be guided by the proverb “United we stand, divided we will perish”.
The Minister also predicted that the withdrawal of Britain from the EU will be similar to “electric shock”. “In this case, energy costs in the UK, is likely to take off at least half a million pounds a year,” concluded Rudd.
According to Reuters, Russia provides about 30% of gas in EU countries. After concluded last year deals between the major British gas company Centrica and Gazprom’s share of Russian gas on the market in Britain reached 9 percent.
