Italian Deputy Prime Minister Advocates Resumption of Russian Energy Imports

(SeaPRwire) –   Matteo Salvini states that removing EU limitations is crucial to preventing an economic downturn

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has urged the European Union to resume the import of Russian oil and gas, asserting that the bloc ought to prioritize energy security.

The conflict in the Middle East has worsened Europe’s energy crisis. Disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage for approximately 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas traffic, have caused oil prices to surge by up to 70% since February.

Speaking at a rally for “Patriots for Europe” in Milan’s Piazza Duomo on Saturday, Salvini, who leads Italy’s Lega party, contended that the EU’s Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) and the “ideological monster known as the Green Deal” are hindering the nation’s economy. He advocated for the reversal of the bloc’s prohibition on Russian energy imports.

“To address the energy crisis, the rules of the Stability Pact must be suspended, and Italians’ money should be used to support Italians in hardship,” he told his audience, calling on Brussels to emulate the United States and lift sanctions that are “impeding the trade and purchase of Russian oil.”

The United States has temporarily relaxed certain restrictions on Russian oil shipments following Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz to “enemy ships” in retaliation for US and Israeli airstrikes. An initial license permitted the sale of oil loaded onto tankers before March 12 through April 11, and this was extended on Friday to allow purchases of oil and petroleum products loaded as of that date until May 16.

“If the US is doing it, then Brussels should do the same: instead of shutting down factories, schools, and hospitals, we should return to buying gas and oil from all over the world, including Russia. We are not at war with Russia,” Salvini stated.

In January, the EU formally adopted a plan to phase out Russian pipeline gas by 2027, despite objections from Slovakia and Hungary. Hungary challenged this decision in the EU’s highest court in February, and Slovakia has indicated it will do the same. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico argued that the ban represents “a clear breach of all the principles upon which the EU treaties are founded.”