China says energy traders in US turning Ukraine war into gold opportunity amid energy crisis

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian has accused the United States of creating the current crisis in Ukraine, saying Washington is the main beneficiary of the ongoing conflict.  

Zhao made the remarks at a regular press briefing on Friday, following reports that Europeans have been forced to import natural gas from the US across the ocean at high prices amid a worsening energy crisis that many European countries are facing due to Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.

“Apparently, just like the arms and grains dealers, energy traders in the US are certainly not going to miss this opportunity to turn the crisis into a gold mine, as they make exorbitant profits off the US’s allies,” he said.

“The US created the Ukraine crisis in the first place, but has now become the biggest winner sitting across the ocean and profiting from the crisis,” he added.

Europe energy crisis bites as continent braces for bitter winter

Europe is currently faced with an energy crisis as gas and electricity prices have reach unprecedented levels amid the Russian military operation in Ukraine.

The Chinese spokesman further stressed that it’s the ordinary Europeans who are paying the price with soaring electricity bills, lower heating temperatures and even organized blackouts.

No wonder George Galloway, a former British MP, said that the US “is ready to fight to the last drop of Ukrainian blood, in the end, it’s prepared to fight to the last drop of European blood,” he added.

The remarks came following reports that the prices of natural gas in Europe are more than 10 times their level in the US, a record-breaking gap.

US companies are making more than $100 million on every liquefied natural gas shipment to Europe, according to figures disclosed by Business Insider.

Soaring energy prices coupled with runaway inflation have imperiled the livelihood of Europeans after many EU countries severed their ties with Russia, the main supplier of natural gas to Europe, triggering an economic crisis in the continent.

Russia, in turn, slashed natural gas supplies to the continent, with fears of more drastic cuts in the winter amid growing tensions between Moscow and the West.

Zhao further noted that the current situation has proven once again that the US and other Western unilateral sanctions do not solve any problems.

“Moreover, these sanctions have spilled over and backfired, generating an impact that has kept snowballing and spreading,” he said.

European energy crisis at critical mass

Europe is facing a gas shortage which is driving up prices of other goods, including food, across the continent, partly due to the tensions in East Europe and fewer Russian gas deliveries to the bloc.

Europe is currently faced with an energy crisis as gas and electricity prices have reached unprecedented levels.

European governments feel threatened over the day-by-day worsening situation that would result in mass sufferings this winter.

Along with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, drought and rising temperatures in several parts have also aggravated the crisis in the continent.

Europe is still finding out ways to deal with the grim situation. It is also enforcing measures to cut down gas usage and, as an alternate source, has also started focusing on nuclear energy.

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