Putin notes diminished threat of introduction of European carbon tax

SIRIUS FEDERAL TERRITORY. Nov 30 (Interfax) - The threat of a transboundary carbon tax in Europe for Russia is no longer as acute as before, since European countries are refusing Russian exports, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"The importance of this cross-border tax introduced three years ago remains, but it is not as acute because they receive fewer products of all types from us," Putin said at a meeting with participants in the congress of young scientists.

The President said that European countries themselves abandoned cheap Russian energy resources, blocking a number of pipelines from Russia.

"Poland closed the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline, which goes to Germany. Ukraine took and closed one of the systems...And from the same Europe, from Germany, they receive money for arms, pensions, social benefits and salaries, while the gas they need from Russia has been blocked, and the Germans are swallowing it all because they have no sovereignty," he said.