MOSCOW, November 14. /TASS/. EU countries are artificially destroying gas demand to the detriment of their own economies, which will lead to a further decline in gas consumption in Europe and the closure of energy-intensive industries, Gazprom said in its statement.

"The actions of the EU countries, on the contrary, are aimed at artificially destroying gas demand to the detriment of their own economies. The policies of the EU countries have led to a further decline in gas consumption, the closure of energy-intensive industries, and the transfer of production capacities to other regions. European gas consumption will continue to decline. The rate of decline will depend in particular on future policy decisions," the statement said. In addition, European gas production is not expected to grow in the long term due to the depletion of its own resource base.

As for global gas demand, according to the first preliminary estimates, gas consumption in January-October increased by 80 bln cubic meters year-on-year, and more than 70% of this increase was provided by Russia, China, and India, Gazprom notes.

Demand for traditional energy continues to grow against a backdrop of geopolitical instability and increased attention to energy security issues. The Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan are also projected to increase their gas consumption in 2024. In the long term, China is also expected to continue to experience high gas consumption growth rates.

"Energy systems based on natural gas and long-term contractual relationships have proven their resilience, which is particularly valuable in the context of changing global markets. In the future, natural gas will play a fundamental role in the global energy sector," Gazprom concluded.