UN Chief Antonio Guterres accuses fossil fuel lobby of using Ukrainian conflict in own interest

MOSCOW: Interested parties are now using the Ukrainian conflict to promote the use of fossil fuels, though there is a pressing need to switch to renewable energy sources, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Saturday.
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"Fossil fuel interests are now cynically using the war in Ukraine to try to lock in a high carbon future. A shift to renewables is crucial to mending our broken global energy mix & offering hope to millions suffering climate impacts today," Guterres said on Twitter.

On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested help to defend them from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. Western countries and their allies responded by imposing comprehensive sanctions against Russia. The European Union has also vowed to reduce its dependency on Russian energy. On April 8, 
the bloc announced the fifth package of anti-Russia sanctions that included a ban on imports of coal and other solid fossil fuels.

At the same time, the EU has been looking for alternative suppliers of LNG and oil, as well as considering boosting its own production of coal.