European Commission on Wednesday unveiled a series of proposals to curb the energy price spike that has rocked Europe in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while stressing that the EU’s solidarity with Kyiv would be “unshakeable.”
President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, whose proposals to help European households and companies include imposing cuts in electricity usage across the bloc, said the bloc was working to protect households and businesses.
But with Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska the guest of honour as she delivered her annual state of the union speech in the EU’s parliament, von der Leyen said sanctions were having a real impact on Russia and were there to stay.
Energy prices and inflation have surged across the 27-nation European Union as Moscow slashed gas supplies in response to sanctions, prompting some, in particular on the far-right, to argue that the sanctions were hitting the EU more and should be softened.