Burkina Faso accuses Europe of double standards on Russian gas

Speaking to RT News, Traore said France purchases about $2.5 billion worth of gas from Russia, yet opposes Burkina Faso maintaining relations with Moscow.

“I have seen that Europe continues to buy Russian gas, but Europe does not want our countries to talk about Russia,” he said. “I think we need to be a bit more honest and sincerely recognise each other’s potential. Our struggle is to determine for ourselves with whom we want to cooperate,” he added.

Traore said Burkina Faso wants the freedom to “analyse, choose, formulate, create and evaluate” its partnerships independently.

Traore also confirmed that Burkina Faso is deepening cooperation with Russia in civil nuclear energy.

“This is no longer just a plan,” he said. “We are already collaborating with Russia in the field of nuclear energy. The Minister of Energy has signed the memorandum.” He added that the country is now working to establish the legal and institutional framework required for the project.

Burkina Faso, led by a military government since a 2022 coup, has strengthened ties with Russia while distancing itself from France, its former colonial power.

Despite sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, several European Union countries continue to import Russian fossil fuels.

According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), France was the EU’s largest importer of Russian fossil fuels in February 2025, purchasing €399 million worth. Some liquefied natural gas (LNG) delivered to France’s Dunkerque terminal was later sent to Germany.

Hungary ranked second with €307 million in imports, including crude oil and pipeline gas. Belgium was third, importing €266 million worth of Russian LNG, some of which may have been re-exported to other EU states.

Overall, the EU accounted for 14 percent of global Russian fossil fuel purchases in February, spending around €1.7 billion, nearly half of which was on LNG.