Putin said he is considering actively cutting off gas supplies to Europe, and Russia remains a reliable energy supplier to all partners

According to CCTV International News, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in an interview with Russian media on March 4 local time that the current prices of oil and natural gas are indeed rising, which is due to the restrictions on Russian energy and the aggression of the U.S. and Israel against Iran, among other factors. The European Union is also set to completely ban the import of pipeline natural gas and liquefied natural gas from Russia. Putin said that since the EU will eventually ban the import of Russian gas, it would be better for Russia to proactively "cut off the gas" to Europe, stop supplying the European market, and turn to emerging markets. According to a previous report by Xinhua News Agency, on January 26 this year, the 27 member states of the EU officially passed regulations to gradually ban the import of pipeline natural gas and liquefied natural gas from Russia. According to this regulation, the EU will completely prohibit the import of pipeline natural gas and liquefied natural gas from Russia, with the ban set to take effect six weeks after the regulation comes into force, and existing contracts will have a transition period. The announcement indicated that the comprehensive ban on the import of liquefied natural gas from Russia will take effect in early 2027, while the comprehensive ban on the import of pipeline natural gas will take effect in the fall of 2027. According to CCTV News, Putin stated that Russia has always been, and still is, a reliable energy supplier for all partners, including European partners. Russia will continue to cooperate with those partners who are reliable collaborators, such as Slovakia and Hungary in Eastern Europe. Russia supplies these countries with oil, natural gas, and other energy resources, and plans to continue doing so in the future, provided that the leadership of these countries continues to pursue current policies and remains a reliable partner for Russia. In contrast to Putin's latest statement, earlier reports from CCTV News indicated that Norwegian Energy Minister Terje Aasland stated at a meeting in Oslo, Norway, on the 3rd that the EU has clearly expressed its desire to reduce dependence on Russian oil and gas, but events that have occurred in the past three to four days have made the situation difficult. Given the current geopolitical situation, he believes that relevant discussions will resume.