Since the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the Czech Republic has spent more than five times more on purchasing Russian oil and gas than on aid to Ukraine, analysts from the European Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), located in Bulgaria, have found.
“The Czech Republic has spent more than €7 billion on Russian oil and gas, five times more than the €1.29 billion it provided in aid to Ukraine. The Czech Republic’s oil imports have brought the Kremlin more than €2.3 billion in tax revenues,” the CSD estimates.
In December 2022, an embargo on seaborne deliveries of Russian oil to the EU came into force. Another supply route, the Druzhba pipeline, the southern branch of which goes to the Czech Republic, is not subject to sanctions. Hungary and Slovakia also receive Russian oil through it. Deliveries to Germany and Poland are prohibited through the northern branch. Analysts emphasized that the Czech Republic's dependence on Russian oil increased to 60% last year: oil from Russia was cheaper than Azerbaijani oil, and by purchasing it, the only oil refinery in the Czech Republic, Unipetrol (owned by the Polish company Orlen), was able to make a profit of about €1.2 billion. But the savings "did not lead to a decrease in consumer prices for gasoline in the Czech Republic," the experts note.
They also believe that Prague could completely refuse to purchase Russian oil and gas: for example, by making maximum use of the Transalpine oil pipeline and buying liquefied natural gas. The CSD called on the EU to close all "loopholes" in the sanctions legislation to completely refuse Russian hydrocarbons.
The German Kiel Institute gives a similar estimate of the amount of aid provided to Ukraine by the Czech Republic — €1.24 billion. Estimates of how much Prague spent on purchasing Russian oil and gas vary. Economist and former Czech representative to the World Bank Jana Matešová told Czech Television that over the same period the Czech Republic paid Russia about €11 billion. Lidove Noviny reported, citing the country's statistical office, that the Czech Republic paid about €2.1 billion for Russian oil last year.
Moscow noted that sanctions against its raw materials would have a negative impact on the global energy market and have consequences for consumers.
“The Czech Republic has spent more than €7 billion on Russian oil and gas, five times more than the €1.29 billion it provided in aid to Ukraine. The Czech Republic’s oil imports have brought the Kremlin more than €2.3 billion in tax revenues,” the CSD estimates.
In December 2022, an embargo on seaborne deliveries of Russian oil to the EU came into force. Another supply route, the Druzhba pipeline, the southern branch of which goes to the Czech Republic, is not subject to sanctions. Hungary and Slovakia also receive Russian oil through it. Deliveries to Germany and Poland are prohibited through the northern branch. Analysts emphasized that the Czech Republic's dependence on Russian oil increased to 60% last year: oil from Russia was cheaper than Azerbaijani oil, and by purchasing it, the only oil refinery in the Czech Republic, Unipetrol (owned by the Polish company Orlen), was able to make a profit of about €1.2 billion. But the savings "did not lead to a decrease in consumer prices for gasoline in the Czech Republic," the experts note.
They also believe that Prague could completely refuse to purchase Russian oil and gas: for example, by making maximum use of the Transalpine oil pipeline and buying liquefied natural gas. The CSD called on the EU to close all "loopholes" in the sanctions legislation to completely refuse Russian hydrocarbons.
The German Kiel Institute gives a similar estimate of the amount of aid provided to Ukraine by the Czech Republic — €1.24 billion. Estimates of how much Prague spent on purchasing Russian oil and gas vary. Economist and former Czech representative to the World Bank Jana Matešová told Czech Television that over the same period the Czech Republic paid Russia about €11 billion. Lidove Noviny reported, citing the country's statistical office, that the Czech Republic paid about €2.1 billion for Russian oil last year.
Moscow noted that sanctions against its raw materials would have a negative impact on the global energy market and have consequences for consumers.
