Central European nations are now appealing to Capitol Hill leaders to get the United States to increase its natural gas exports should Russia cut off its supply to Ukraine, amid the political turmoil in that country.
Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic sent a letter Friday to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. And a similar letter is expected to be sent to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada.
Ambassadors from the four countries -- known as the Visegrad Group -- want Congress to support faster approval of natural gas exports, arguing the supply is essential to the region’s economic stability.
“The presence of U.S. natural gas would be much welcome in Central and Eastern Europe,” they told Boehner. “And congressional action to expedite [liquefied natural gas] exports to America’s allies would come at a critically important time for the region."
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Members of a pro-Russian self-defense unit in Simferopol,
Ukraine.REUTERS
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The concern has grown over the past few months amid the political upheaval in the Ukraine that resulted last month in residents ousting President Viktor Yanukovych and became a major concern several days ago when Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into the country’s Crimea region.
"I hope President Obama will heed this call from our allies to use his 'pen and phone' to direct the secretary of Energy to immediately approve pending natural gas export requests and do everything possible to use American energy to reduce the dependency on Russia for our friends in Europe and around the globe," Boehner said in response to the letter.Read the rest of the story HERE.
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