Asian countries resist Western pressure over Russian energy — Foreign Ministry spokeswoman

Asian countries resist Western pressure over Russian energy — Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova added that the events of February and March 2026 proved right "those who argued that energy cooperation should not become a battleground for political disputes or contests"VLADIVOSTOK, September 12. /TASS/. Asian countries resisted Western pressure over Russian energy purchases, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in an interview with TASS on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF). "Western countries exerted pressure over energy purchases from Russia. Asian countries, including the region’s largest and most diverse countries, made a truly well-considered decision based on the wisdom, foundation, and knowledge of historical experience and its value, preventing a number of Western countries and institutions from having a destabilizing influence on their energy policies," she said. "The events of February and March 2026 and what followed became a gift to those who argued that energy cooperation should not become a battleground for political disputes or contests. I mean a gift in the sense that they provided an argument in favor of that position," the diplomat said. "Energy cooperation is so important that, I would say, it is not so much irreplaceable as something that should not be destabilized because it affects every area of life and should therefore be kept out of political games." At the same time, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman noted that there is an understanding of the connection between politics, the economy, and energy. "At the same time, we are talking about something different in this case. It is not the connection between politics, the economy, energy, and other areas, but political games. The goal in such cases is not to protect their markets or promote their goods but to ‘sort things out’ through unlawful, ineffective, and foolish steps. I apologize for the wording; let’s put it in quotation marks. The situation is obvious: this will lead to destabilization that will affect literally everything, and the consequences will be difficult to fully assess. But an immediate benefit, so to speak, and the circumstances of the moment can influence tomorrow’s stock prices on the New York Stock Exchange, depending, as many believe, on who is behind it. This can create a situation where one can not only take a risk but also, to use modern language, step on the gas all the way. Well, they stepped on the gas." 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