Co-Chairman Cohen Addresses Dependence on Russian Energy

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today discussed European dependence on Russian oil and gas at a hearing entitled "European Energy Security Post-Russia." He also questioned expert witnesses on the energy situation in Ukraine and alternatives to Russian energy in Europe.

In his opening statement, Co-Chairman Cohen said in part:

"As long as we're dependent on Russian energy, we're held hostage by this crazy despot who would try to cement his place in history, and do it soon, as if it makes a difference after he's dead if he is Peter the Great Number Two ... because he'll be dead, as will so many of the Russian soldiers and Ukrainian soldiers and Ukrainian citizens – none of which bothers him…

"Putin thinks that if the war is over soon enough, we'll forgive him because we need his oil and gas. But we don't. We need to find alternatives…We need to use this awful situation to improve our energy alternatives here and abroad and encourage our allies to do the same."

See his entire opening statement here.

See his questioning of witnesses here.

Witnesses at today's hearing were:

• Yuriy Vitrenko, CEO, Naftogaz Ukraine;
• Constanze Stelzenmüller, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; and
• Benjamin Schmitt, Research Associate, Harvard University and Senior Fellow, Democratic Resilience Program, Center for European Policy Analysis.

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