European Council President Antonio Costa has asserted that Russia is the only country benefiting from the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran. He claimed that soaring global energy prices and the diversion of attention from Moscow's four-year conflict with Ukraine are providing additional leverage to the Kremlin.
In a speech to European Union ambassadors in Brussels, Costa stated: "So far, there is only one winner in this war – Russia. It gains new resources to finance its war against Ukraine as energy prices rise. It profits from the diversion of military capabilities that could otherwise have been sent to support Ukraine. And it benefits from reduced attention to the Ukrainian front as the conflict in the Middle East takes centre stage."
The EU leader also stressed the need to protect the international rules-based order, which he alleged is now being challenged by the United States, and called for all parties in the Middle East to return to negotiations. He said: "Freedom and human rights cannot be achieved through bombs. Only international law upholds them. We must avoid further escalation. Such a path threatens the Middle East, Europe, and beyond."
The US and Israeli attack on Iran triggered the most significant spike in oil prices since the turmoil following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Meanwhile, the Kremlin said all parties want to continue US-mediated Russia-Ukraine peace talks, but no date or venue has been agreed for the next round.
Russia and Ukraine held three rounds of talks in Türkiye last year and have conducted several more US-mediated sessions in Abu Dhabi and Geneva this year. However, they remain far apart on key issues, particularly on Russia's demand for Ukraine to cede control of the entire eastern Donetsk region.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held their first phone call of the year, discussing the wars in Iran and Ukraine. The Kremlin said the possibility of lifting US sanctions on Russian oil had not been discussed in detail with Washington, but that US actions purportedly aim to stabilize global energy markets.
Following the call, Putin said Russia, the world's second-largest oil exporter and holder of the biggest natural gas reserves, is ready to work again with European customers if they want to return to long-term cooperation. Before the Ukraine war, Europe was buying over 40% of its gas from Russia. By 2025, combined sales of pipeline gas and LNG from Russia accounted for only 13% of total EU imports.
Also on Monday, Trump said his administration would lift some sanctions on oil-producing countries to keep energy prices down, though he did not specify which ones. Washington currently maintains sanctions on the oil sectors of Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. The Reuters news agency, citing multiple unnamed sources, reported that Trump is considering easing sanctions on Russia as part of his plans to control oil prices.
Last week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a 30-day waiver on sanctions on Russian oil sales to India to help it cope with cuts to Middle East supply.
Source: www.aljazeera.com