"Russia ready to provide world with cheap, clean energy...": Valentina Matvienko

NEW DELHI: As the G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20) goes on for the second day, Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko stressed that Russia knows its responsibility in the field of global energy security and is ready to provide the world with cheap and clean energy if the path is free from barriers.

"Russia is aware of its responsibility in the field of global energy security and is ready to provide the world with cheap and clean energy if artificial barriers are not built on the way to consumers, said the Speaker of the Federation Council," she said according to the statement by Russian Parliament Upper house.

The Speaker of the Federation Council delivered her address to the session on green energy at the G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20) held in New Delhi on Friday. "Energy cannot be used as a geopolitical weapon, a means of blackmail or hindering development," she said.

According to Matvienko, the transition to "green energy" is majorly hampered by the attempts made by separate states to monopolize and politicize this topic.

"Attempts to "reshape" the global energy market have led to a sharp increase in the cost of resources and limited supply, as well as sabotage at energy infrastructure facilities, including the Nord Stream gas pipeline," she said. She further noted that investigations of such crimes are conducted behind closed doors for political reasons.

According to the statement, "The so-called sanctions in essence, instruments of economic pressure with political goals, i.e. unfair competition, weaponization of advantages in the areas of technology, transportation, insurance, etc have a disastrous effect on the market. This is a dead-end path, and, ultimately, the initiators of sanctions themselves suffer from them."

Furthermore, Valentina Matvienko emphasized that Russia is promoting the environmental agenda through parliamentary diplomacy, in particular, "The Federation Council is the organizer of the Nevsky International Ecological Congress, an important platform for the exchange of experience in environmental legislation. "She further invited her colleagues to participate in the Congress, the statement added.

Earlier in the day, Matviyenko held talks with the Vice President of India and the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankar where they discussed opportunities for strengthening the special strategic partnership in the legislative dimension.

The two held the meeting ahead of the 9th G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20) at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas on Friday. "During the meeting, the parties discussed opportunities for strengthening the special and privileged strategic partnership in the legislative dimension," the Russian Embassy in India said in an official statement.

Moreover, they also touched upon the activities of Friendship Groups that were created in both parliaments. Earlier on Friday, Matviyenko met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 9th G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20) in New Delhi.