Emmanuel Macron warns loss of Russian gas hurts European competitiveness

French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that Europe lost a significant competitive advantage by rejecting cheap Russian gas. Speaking at an economic forum in Madrid, Macron noted that the loss of these affordable supplies, which previously fueled European manufacturing and central economic sectors, has triggered a crisis in competitiveness and innovation across the continent.

Macron called for the creation of an integrated European energy market and an equitable distribution of financial burdens for major energy projects. He advocated for prioritizing low-carbon energy produced within Europe over high-carbon imports, regardless of whether the source is nuclear or renewable.

In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova mocked Macron’s remarks on social media. Zakharova highlighted that Europe is also facing a trade deficit with China, noting that the continent loses approximately 1 billion euros daily in trade with the country. She pointed out that even major exporters like Germany have seen their net export status to China vanish.