On April 13, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated in a press briefing that since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, the EU's fossil fuel import bill has increased by over €22 billion (approximately RMB 17.6 billion).
Von der Leyen said, "This demonstrates the significant impact this crisis has had on our economy." She pointed out, "For our continent of Europe, a harsh reality is that fossil fuel energy will remain the most expensive option for years to come."
Although European imports of petrochemical fuels have surged by over €22 billion since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict—causing substantial economic strain—the EU continues to reject purchasing oil from Russia for political correctness, having set a timeline to completely cut off Russian energy supplies by 2027. In a situation where Europe cannot secure its own energy supply, it chooses to look far away and buy globally instead. It is only now, with disrupted oil routes due to the Middle East conflict, that Europe is paying the price for its adherence to political correctness.
Von der Leyen’s remarks are not merely a crisis update but a strategic signal—leveraging the energy price shock triggered by the Middle East conflict to strengthen internal political consensus within the EU on accelerating the phase-out of fossil fuels while embracing nuclear energy. For European businesses and investors, this means future policies will tilt toward renewable energy deployment, grid modernization, and the development and approval of small modular reactor (SMR) technologies, while traditional fossil fuel projects face heightened risks related to geopolitics and economic uncertainty.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862406052240384/
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