War in Ukraine, climate crisis must lead to greener energy – Belgian king in Vilnius

  • 2022-10-25
  • BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS - The ongoing energy crisis caused by Russia's war in Ukraine and climate change must lead to greener energy, King of Belgium Philippe said in Vilnius on Monday.

"The war in Ukraine and climate emergency must encourage as to speed up the energy transition and depart from fossil fuel," he said at the Presidential Palace.

In response to the EU sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has restricted the flow of natural gas to Europe, pushing up fossil fuel prices on the market. The West accuses Moscow of using energy as an instrument of political pressure.

In a joint statement with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, the king stressed that Russia's war in Ukraine "has brought us into a new era, an era that reminds us of the darkest pages of our continent's history".

As a result, he said, the EU and the rest of the world are also under pressure, especially poorer countries where the cost of basic necessities has risen sharply.

The king of Belgium underlined that through their commitments, NATO countries are defending "the peace project the European Union was built on".

For his part, President Nauseda voiced his appreciation for Lithuanian-Belgian security cooperation. The two leaders plan to discuss defense in more detail on Wednesday in Pabrade where Belgian troops are serving within the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group.

Bilateral cooperation in the areas of science, technology, trade, energy and culture are also expected to be discussed during the royal visit.