France’s TotalEnergies says unable to end Russian gas purchases

France’s TotalEnergies says unable to end Russian gas purchases

PARIS — TotalEnergies' Chief Executive Patrick Pouyanne said on Wednesday that his company could not stop buying Russian natural gas in retaliation for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, saying it would force a partial economic shutdown in Europe. 

The French energy giant had announced Tuesday that it would stop buying Russia's oil and petroleum products by the end of this year, the latest of several multinationals to halt or curtail their operations in the country.

But the CEO said ending its natural gas purchases from Russia would effectively hand over billions of euros to Russian investors.