Dutch exports to Russia and Ukraine have come to a standstill since the start of the war in March, but in the same period another 1.7 billion euros was spent on oil and gas from Russia. The quantity remained the same, but the price rose sharply, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reported on Wednesday.
Exports of goods from the Netherlands to Ukraine fell by 84% in March compared to the same month of the previous year, while exports to Russia fell by 67%. This corresponds to a lower income of 97 million euros and 453 million euros respectively for our country.
Imports from Ukraine also decreased by 31%, but only cost us 10% less. This is due to the sharp rise in food prices. The Netherlands mainly supplies corn and sunflower oil from Ukraine.
Imports from Russia are more complex. Total imports remained more or less the same, but were spent twice as much. In March last year, the Netherlands paid 1.9 billion euros for Russian goods, compared to 4.1 million euros in March last year. This represents an increase of € 2.2 billion, of which € 1.7 billion is for mineral fuels. According to the CBS, this mainly concerns oil and gas.
Energy prices have been rising since the middle of last year, but are rising even faster after the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the end of February. On March 7, the price of natural gas reached a record high of 129 euros per megawatt, but has since fallen below 90 euros. However, the cost of gasoline before the start of the price increase is still far from 30 euros. The oil price has also been rising for some time.
Source: NU
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
