German Chancellor, French Prime Minister Sign Declaration on Mutual Support in Energy

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Friday signed a joint declaration on cooperation and mutual support amid growing challenges in the field of energy.

"France and Germany reaffirm their close ties in the field of energy and their full solidarity. The two countries are thus committed to implementing concrete measures of mutual support and solidarity to guarantee the security of energy supply for their citizens and businesses," the declaration read.

The document also said that the two countries had begun to develop infrastructure for imports of liquefied natural gas and coordinate their action in terms of energy supplies.

Germany and France are committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2045 and 2050 respectively by reducing their dependence on fossil fuels, according to the declaration.

At a joint press conference in Berlin, the two officials noted that their countries were now facing serious challenges in the area of energy.

"Our common priority is to mitigate consequences for our citizens, especially the vulnerable ones, and our businesses. It is necessary to take measures so that prices on electricity return to the normal level," Borne said.

Since 2021, energy prices in EU countries have been surging as part of a global trend. After the beginning of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February and the adoption of several packages of sanctions against Moscow by the West, energy prices have accelerated the growth, pushing many European governments to resort to contingency measures. The EU has been looking for alternatives to Russian natural gas as it has pledged to end its dependence on energy supplies from Russia.