According to data released by the Office for National Statistics on the 24th, in June this year, the UK imported a total of 33 million pounds of goods from Russia, a year-on-year drop of 96%. For the first time, no fuel was imported from Russia.
UK fuel imports from Russia fell to zero in June for the first time since data were available in 1997, data showed. Before the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Russia was the UK's largest supplier of refined oil products, accounting for 24.1% of the UK's total imports. Russia also supplied 5.9% of the UK's crude oil and 4.9% of its natural gas.
In March, Johnson's government announced that Britain would "gradually" wean itself off its dependence on Russian oil and gas. Johnson also called on Western countries to jointly ensure energy alternatives. Reuters reported that Johnson visited key OPEC members Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries one after another this year, hoping that Middle Eastern countries would increase oil production to ease soaring international oil prices. But the British media believe that so far, Saudi Arabia has not promised to provide energy such as oil and natural gas to Western countries.
The British "Independent" said that the global British committee group, which includes Heathrow Airport, Virgin Atlantic, Ernst & Young, said that most of the British aircraft's fuel comes from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Rotterdam's fuel is provided by Russia. Britain could become a major supplier of "green" jet fuel made from vegetable oils and waste, British business executives said. But questions remain about when this "green" fuel will actually be used.
As of July this year, energy prices in the UK market, especially natural gas prices, have been soaring. The Mail on Sunday quoted local companies as warning that most British companies will renegotiate electricity and gas prices in October, and that the price of electricity and gas renewal contracts this year could be four times what it was the year before.
The British "Financial Times" quoted a report published by Citibank predicting that rising natural gas prices may make the UK inflation rate rise to 18.6% in January next year, which is higher than that of other major Western countries. The report also predicts that UK gas prices may also rise by as much as 33%. Previously, the Bank of England had predicted that the UK inflation rate may rise to 13% by the end of this year.
In fact, the UK uses less than 5% of natural gas imported from Russia, compared to around 40% for more continental European countries. Al Jazeera reported on the 23rd that the price of natural gas contracts in Europe rose by about 16% due to concerns about long-term supply disruptions in Russia; reaching the highest level since March, which also caused electricity prices to rise to new highs.
Frans Timmermans, executive vice-president of the European Commission in charge of green affairs, believes that the EU's goal is to reduce its natural gas imports from Russia by two-thirds within a year to reduce its dependence on Russian energy, including by importing more liquefied gas. Natural gas, accelerate the development of renewable energy, reduce demand through energy conservation and efficiency. However, Timmermans worries that some countries may have to increase their reliance on coal during the transition from natural gas to new energy sources.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in March that he would increase the use of renewable energy, but making an immediate change "would disrupt supply chains around the world, especially in Europe", as well as in Ukraine. .
German Chancellor Scholz also mentioned that Germany is seeking alternatives to Russian energy, but it cannot be achieved in the short term. Scholz said Europe's sanctions against Russia deliberately exempted the energy supply sector because these energy sources are so vital to Europe that there is currently no other way to secure Europe's heating, electricity and transport energy.
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