WEBVTT

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What do you expect
at the summit today? Please. -Okay.

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We expect that we will do something
about energy prices.

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This is one of the most important
things now in Europe.

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But of course,
the focus will be on Ukraine.

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I think we really
have to commit ourselves

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to deliver to Ukraine
what they need most

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and this are four things.
The first is hope,

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then military aid

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for Ukraine to defend itself,
then humanitarian aid

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and money, because they
have to survive and their economy

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is under attack and not
in a position to function normally.

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They have to pay pensions,
they have to pay social benefits

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to millions of people,
so we have to help

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in all those four critical areas.

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What happens
in case of new sanctions today?

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Ten days ago, when together
with our Polish and Czech friends,

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we were in Kyiv,
we got some very good proposals

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from the Ukrainian government
how to specifically target

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some areas
which were somehow forgotten

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during last packages
of sanctions.

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Targeting those who are directly
behind the Russian war machine

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and this will be our proposal
for the next package. -You think

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an embargo would be best?
-Excuse me? -Do you think

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an embargo on Russian gas and oil
would be the most effective

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or why not? -Embargo
on Russian gas, oil and coal

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is on the table.
Today, I think we will

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officially reconfirm
our commitment from Versailles

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when we said
that the EU should abandon

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our dependence on Russian energy
as soon as possible.

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Of course,
this is an asymmetric approach

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from different
EU member states,

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but the agreement
we reached in Versailles

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is something huge. Even two weeks
ago, this wouldn't be possible.

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This will not happen,
unfortunately, overnight.

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We support,
I personally, my country,

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although we also depend
partially on Russian oil and gas,

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we really support to do this
as soon as possible.

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This means
during next months

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because otherwise, we are just
financing the Russian war machine.

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Excuse me?
-When Vladimir Putin says:

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Pay me in rubles
or you don't get any gas,

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is that blackmail? Are you going
to pay him in rubles

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to help his currency that has been
wrecked? -I don't think anybody

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in Europe really knows
how rubles look like, so ...

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Nobody will pay in rubles.

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And what is your message to China?
China has been quiet

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about what is going on.

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Well, if Mr. Putin

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really succeeded
in taking all Ukraine

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within one week, I think that this
would be a signal for China.

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Now, because Ukrainians
are defending themselves,

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this is another message
for China

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and they are becoming more careful
which is okay.

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And according to what we heard
from American colleagues today

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during the NATO summit,
here is an open channel

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regarding discussions with China,
trying to persuade them

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to do something
to support the peace efforts

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to bring peace to Ukraine.

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First of all, when we went to Kyiv,
we saw what a brave nation this is.

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Actually, I think
these difficult weeks were

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the time of rebirth of the Ukrainian
nation. They will never be defeated.

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But of course,
every day the war is going on

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means hundreds
or maybe thousands of dead people.

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We are very sad when we see
what is going on in Mariupol.

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This is a city
which is bigger than our capital.

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It's massive suffering there. And I
said also during the NATO summit

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if we really don't have
more in our arsenal to help them,

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not to Ukraine today,
but to Mariupol especially

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because it is very difficult just
to watch this massive suffering.

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And I think that the address
of President Zelensky

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who addressed
the NATO summit at the beginning

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and it was very moving, contributed
to more bold actions from our side.

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What happens
in case of use of chemical weapons?

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Well, my personal opinion is
that the so-called red line

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has already been crossed
because what to say

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to shelling from the sea

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with 200-milimeter guns

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on the civil parts
of Mariupol?

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I think
that it is exactly the same

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as using some other so-called
weapons of mass destruction.

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I think that all red lines
have already been crossed,

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so we don't need to talk
about chemical or biological weapons

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and wait for those weapons
to be used and then say:

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Well, red lines have been crossed.
But of course,

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using such weapons
which are specifically forbidden

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by international conventions
is something

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regarding the international law
which triggers

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a more severe response from all
those who signed the conventions.

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So legally,
this is something different.

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For the people who are dying,

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there is no difference

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if you're dying by chemical
biological or conventional weapons.

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Do you see some risk
for other countries? -Excuse me?

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Do you see some
risk for other countries,

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like Georgia, Moldova,
Bosnia and Herzegovina?

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Are they under duress?
-I see risk for all Europe,

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because the Russian aggression in
Ukraine is influencing everything.

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Our living standard,
but also our security.

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We have to be aware that,
if Ukraine is really taken,

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Russia will become stronger

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and then it's only
a question of time who's next.

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Stopping the Russian
aggression in Ukraine

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will bring peace
not only to Ukraine,

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but to the whole
European continent.

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Not only for our generation,
but also for future generations.

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Thank you very much.
-Thank you.

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Hello, Prime Minister.
-I thought you were out there.

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It's too crowded there,
they didn't let us in.

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A question about sanctions.
You will discuss them today.

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They will probably include
petroleum and natural gas.

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What is Slovenia's position?
Would it support such sanctions?

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Slovenia supported
the decision in Versailles,

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which was political because
it was an informal summit,

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however, it is likely to be
officially confirmed today,

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to free Europe
from dependence on Russian energy

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as soon as possible.

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That doesn't mean tomorrow,
unfortunately.

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We support the quickest way.

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The European Commission
will present some solutions today.

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For those
we have already heard of

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or of which we have been
previously informed,

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I can say that they
are largely effective.

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On the sidelines of the US President's
visit, there were many discussions

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how the United States can help, for
example, with liquefied natural gas.

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As soon as next winter.

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There is a lot going on.

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However, there are some
suggestions we got

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during our visit to Kyiv
from the Ukrainians.

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Containing
very effective sanctions,

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which do not represent a major issue on
which opinions would differ in Europe.

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We talked about this
at the NATO summit today,

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mainly concerning
military matters.

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Or matters important for stopping
the Russian military machine.

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We talked about
dual-use products,

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which Russia buys
as civilian products,

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but uses them
in military equipment.

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In addition,
our colleagues from Ukraine

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made a list of very effective,
in my opinion,

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suggestions or sanctions
that affect

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specific targets in Russia.

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They would not affect
the entire population,

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but especially those that
drive the military machine.

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You said this morning that
Slovenia is about to make a decision

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on sending a diplomatic
representative to Kyiv.

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Will you repeat this proposal
in front of other colleagues?

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What do you... -As far as
our representative is concerned,

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the decision
has already been made.

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This is the responsibility
of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

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According to the Foreign Affairs
Act, the Minister may,

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in an emergency,
send a charge d'affaires

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and issue powers to them himself.
This has happened many times.

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No other grounds are needed.

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Diplomacy must be given a voice.

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Talking about suggestions
and solutions

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over the phone from Brussels
or Ljubljana is one thing,

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but striving for them from Kyiv,

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where Ukrainians
are right next to you

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with views not normally communicated
over the phone or at a distance,

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is something else entirely.

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I think that
out of all European countries

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only Poland kept
its representative in Kyiv.

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They need help.

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Today we will also talk about when
the EU will send their mission back.

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Who will be
the charge d'affaires?

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Do you know the name? Who will lead
this mission? -We know the name.

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I would like to thank
everyone who came forward.

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There were quite a few candidates
from various bodies in Slovenia.

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Even people who have been
in different governments

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and are no longer in diplomacy,
but they have experience.

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Suggestions are still coming in.
There are more of them than places.

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The name will be announced
when the Minister signs the order.

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One more question,
related to NATO.

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At the press conference,
the Secretary-General said

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that quite a few members
have offered

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CBRN protection equipment
to Ukraine.

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Is Slovenia among them,
has it offered something like that?

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In principle, we are ready,

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however, collecting this kind
of help is a relatively new thing.

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Given that some Member States
have intelligence

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that Russia could be preparing

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to use biological
or chemical weapons.

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Given that many say

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that Russia usually does
what it accuses others of,

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all this talk about
how the West financed

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various laboratories in Ukraine

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is an indication
of possible conduct.

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At the moment, this is a matter
of preventive action.

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Just one more question.
Regarding Moscow's request

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for paying energy in rubles.

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What do you think? Will Slovenia
participate in such a scenario,

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which seems bizarre
at first glance?

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I don't think anyone in Europe
knows what rubles look like anymore.

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I don't think
these payments will take place.

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Another question about the timeline
of the Russian energy embargo

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or at least a cessation
of dependence on Russian energy.

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You said as soon as possible.
Maybe a more tangible speculation?

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In a month or two, six months?

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Given that there is quite a bit
of disagreement between countries

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about such sanctions.

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That train has left the station.
There is no return.

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This will probably happen
later than we would like,

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but much sooner than Russia
would like. -Thank you very much.