Russia warns Europe faces the risk of energy collapse.

According to RIA Novosti on March 7, Western and Central European countries are facing the risk of energy collapse due to the impact of the Middle East crisis on fuel supply chains, while Europeans currently have no alternative sources of supply.

This is the assessment of Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. In an interview with RIA Novosti, Zakharova stated: "I believe the most pressing issue now is no longer the situation in Ukraine, but the collapse engulfing Western and Central European countries related to the crisis in the Middle East. Energy prices, including gas and oil, have skyrocketed."

At the same time, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry reiterated that the European Union (EU) had unilaterally imposed a ban on purchasing energy resources from Russia. In the context of the ongoing attacks on Iran, she questioned where Brussels intended to obtain its fuel.

On the same day, Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian President's special envoy for economic and investment cooperation and head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), stated that Western sanctions are harming the global economy. Currently, Moscow and Washington are discussing easing restrictions on Russian oil.

"We are discussing this issue with the US side, because Western sanctions have had disastrous consequences for the world economy," Dmitriev wrote on social media platform X.

This statement was issued in response to comments by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding the possibility of easing sanctions on Russian oil.

Earlier, in an interview with Fox Business, Bessent said: "We have allowed India to receive oil from Russia. We may also remove other Russian oils from the sanctions list."

The current energy crisis stems from February 28th, when the US and Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran. Tel Aviv claimed the goal of the airstrikes was to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump threatened to destroy Iran's fleet and defense industry.

Due to escalating conflict, maritime activity through the Strait of Hormuz has come to a near complete standstill. Insurance companies have begun raising premiums and reviewing the scope of their coverage.

This is a vital transportation route supplying oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Gulf countries to the world market, accounting for approximately 20% of the total global supply of crude oil, petroleum products, and LNG.