• Russia blames the US for pressuring European leaders to cut economic and energy cooperation with Moscow.
• Europe is facing its worst gas supply crisis in history, with energy prices skyrocketing.
• Zakharova: US has long sought to sever energy ties between Russia and major European powers such as Germany.

The US has exacerbated Europe’s gas supply crisis by pressuring European leaders to take the “suicidal” step of cutting economic and energy cooperation with Moscow, according to Russia’s foreign ministry.

After Russia cut gas flows westward, Europe is facing its worst gas supply crisis in history, with energy prices skyrocketing and German importers discussing possible rationing in the European Union’s largest economy.

When asked what was required for Nord Stream 1 to restart, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Reuters, “Listen, you are asking me questions that even children know the answer to: those who started this need to finish this.”

She claimed that the US has long sought to sever energy ties between Russia and major European powers such as Germany, despite the fact that Moscow has been a reliable energy supplier since Soviet times.

“The dominance of Washington prevailed,” Zakharova told Reuters on the sidelines of Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. “Political forces were brought to power in the European Union who are playing the role of ‘sheep-provocateurs’.”

“It is absolute suicide but it seems they will have to go through this,” she said.

After Moscow reduced gas supplies to European customers, the United States and the European Union accused Russia of energy blackmail. Russia stated that technical issues with a compressor station had prevented it from being repaired due to sanctions.

The Kremlin claims that the West precipitated the energy crisis by imposing the most severe sanctions in modern history, a move that President Vladimir Putin compares to declaring economic war.

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