{"id":25235,"date":"2022-02-22T12:37:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T17:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25235"},"modified":"2022-02-23T11:39:22","modified_gmt":"2022-02-23T16:39:22","slug":"martin-warns-of-higher-energy-prices-as-ukrainian-crisis-worsens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25235","title":{"rendered":"Martin Warns Of Higher Energy Prices As Ukrainian Crisis Worsens"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Miche\u00e1l Martin during the press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin (Embassy of Ireland in Berlin\/PA)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Taoiseach has said he still hopes war can be avoided in Europe, as the crisis in Ukraine continues to escalate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier, Miche\u00e1l Martin stood beside Olaf Scholz as the German chancellor announced that the country had taken steps to halt the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to the West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Scholz said his government made the decision in response to Russian president Vladimir Putin\u2019s recognition of the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine that he said marked a \u201cserious break of international law\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the press conference, Mr Martin joined the condemnation of the move, which has fueled concerns about an escalating conflict in the region and stoked fears of a full-scale assault by Russia on Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EU is set to announce sanctions on Russia in the wake of the announcement from Mr Putin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Martin told reporters after the press conference that he hoped that Europe was not heading towards war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery avenue of in terms of diplomacy and in terms of dialogue will be used by Europe, the United States, the UK and others to prevent that from happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt would be catastrophic if it was to happen, particularly for the people within Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is not how things should be done in the 21st century.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Martin accused the Russian president Vladimir Putin of \u201ccreating narratives that belong to the late 19th century and early 20th century\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He described the German intervention on Nord Stream 2 was \u201csignificant\u201d, but warned that it initiates a further spike in energy prices across the continent and at home in Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is a very significant decision by the German chancellor to make, and we shouldn\u2019t understate the significance of the statement and that announcement, because there is a major investment involved there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think more broadly, the crisis will have a negative impact on oil prices.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that already the geopolitical crisis in Ukraine had pushed up prices, alongside the re-opening of economies around the world in the wake of the worst phase of the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCombine it all, and we\u2019re in a very serious situation, which could get worse now because of what happened yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Martin, who was in Berlin for only a brief visit, was greeted with military honors upon arrival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He told reporters that he had a \u201cfruitful\u201d conversation with the German leader, with climate change and economic development on the agenda alongside Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Martin said that, while Ireland was a militarily neutral nation, it was not \u201cpolitically neutral\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fianna F\u00e1il leader said that the country was taking \u201cproactive\u201d steps to help solve the crisis.<\/p>\n

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