MOSCOW, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Western and Central Europe countries are facing an energy collapse resulting from the crisis in the Middle East and the disruption of energy supply chains, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
"It seems to me that the most relevant issue now is not even the situation around Ukraine, but the collapse that is engulfing the countries of Western and Central Europe in connection with the crisis in the Middle East. Energy prices have skyrocketed -- both gas and oil," Zakharova said in an interview with RIA Novosti news agency Friday.
Zakharova pointed out that the European Union's (EU) self-imposed ban on Russian energy imports naturally leads to the question of alternative fuel sources for the EU.
Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the possibility of Russia's complete withdrawal from the European natural gas market.
The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East has led to an almost complete cessation of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global supplies of crude oil and natural gas.
Nevertheless, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen told Bloomberg on Thursday that the EU does not currently consider the situation on the energy market to be a full-fledged crisis. However, he added that if the crisis in the Middle East drags on, the EU may ask member countries to reduce their energy consumption. ■