European Commission: World Faces Worst Energy Crisis in History

Moscow (ANTARA) - The world is facing the most serious energy crisis in global history due to the conflict in the Middle East, a European Commission official said on Tuesday (5/5). “The world is facing what could be called the worst energy crisis ever — one that tests our economic resilience, societies, and partnerships,” said European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jorgensen at a press conference in Brussels, Belgium. The former Danish agriculture minister said that European Union (EU) countries have spent 30 billion euros (approximately Rp611 trillion) on fuel oil imports since the Middle East conflict began, without obtaining any additional supply. On 13 April, the US Navy began blockading maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz. The strait accounts for around 20 percent of global supplies of oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas (LNG). The US stated that non-Iranian ships can still pass through the Strait of Hormuz as long as they do not pay tolls to Tehran.