MOSCOW, April 15. /TASS/. Coal supplies to Europe from countries, the EU see as alterative to Russia, can be complicated by high logistics costs and high demand, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak in his article for the Energy Policy magazine.
"As for possible suppliers of coal to Europe, then they can rely on the countries of South America and South Africa, but, according to experts, it will be difficult for them to provide an acceptable price due to significant logistics costs and high demand," he wrote.
Earlier, Russian Energy Minister Nikolay Shulginov stressed that the refusal of the EU countries to import coal from Russia will primarily affect the countries of the union because of its quality characteristics. At the same time, the transition to supplies from other countries can be extended in time.
In early April, the ambassadors of the European Union countries approved the fifth package of sanctions against Russia, which, in particular, provides for restrictions on individuals and financial institutions, and also bans import of coal from the Russian Federation and exports of high-tech goods. In particular, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany should fully use the four-month transition period for phasing out coal imports from Russia, provided for by the fifth package of anti-Russian sanctions approved by the EU ambassadors.