Ursula der Leyen: EU is preparing a contingency plan to dispense with Russian energy

Follow-up - INA 

The European Commission pledged to draft an emergency plan this month aimed at helping member states dispense with Russia's energy resources.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the initiative would build on EU moves to move away from Russian coal, oil and natural gas, and would give a bloc-wide boost to accelerating the development of renewable energy such as wind and solar.

From the Czech city of Litomysl, where celebrated the beginning of the six-month period during which Prague holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, the European Commission president said: "We are preparing contingency plans for Europe."
"Energy prices are high, and people - rightly so - expect us to do something about it,"she said.

The Commission also explained that the emergency plan, scheduled for around mid-July, would focus on two main points, including having a "clear idea" of where to cut Russian energy supplies and implementing it "in a smart way", in addition to getting around the European Union countries facing supply pressures.

"We need a good joint plan for the energy flow, or gas flow, where it is needed most," von der Leyen continued.

The European official indicated that the plan would be developed in coordination with the Czech government, whose prime minister highlighted political pressure across the European Union to act.