Von der Leyen thanked Biden for helping to get rid of energy dependence on the Russian Federation

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Joe Biden held talks in Washington. They discussed sanctions against Russia, as well as problems with the American law to reduce inflation.

“You helped us a lot when we wanted to get rid of dependence on Russian fossil fuels, you helped us a lot by increasing the supply of liquefied natural gas, helped us get through the energy crisis,” Ms. von der Leyen said at the beginning of the meeting. Her words are quoted by the White House.

After the meeting, Mrs. von der Leyen said that the parties also discussed sanctions against Russia. The West will now focus on “prevention of circumvention” of the restrictions, she said.

Following the meeting, a joint statement was issued. The parties agreed to “work together to improve Europe’s energy security by diversifying sources, reducing energy consumption and reducing Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels.” Also, the US and the EU will coordinate efforts to support the energy security of Ukraine and “its further integration into the energy markets of Europe.”

One of the topics of the talks was the American law to reduce inflation to inject billions into the economy. Europe is opposed to the document, politicians fear that it will lead to a reduction in production in the region. The head of the EC told the American president that Europe wants to respond with a Green Deal investment plan. The joint statement says that the parties are taking steps to address the issues identified.