Today in Paris, the court announced its verdict in the high-profile case brought by French fossil fuel giant TotalEnergies against Green Party politician Yannick Jadot, acquitting Jadot of any wrongdoing. The case stemmed from Jadot’s comments calling out TotalEnergies’ long-standing business ties with Russia’s fossil fuel sector and its role in indirectly supporting the Kremlin’s war machine.
Razom We Stand, a Ukrainian campaign group focused on ending international fossil fuel ties to Russian aggression, stood in full support of Jadot throughout the proceedings. Iryna Ptashnyk, Senior Research and Development Expert at Razom We Stand, gave evidence during the hearings, highlighting how TotalEnergies’ financial engagement with Russian LNG projects had undermined efforts to cut off funding for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Iryna Ptashnyk, Senior Research and Development Expert of Razom We Stand, said, “The people of Ukraine can be thankful for the decision today, which declared Yannick Jadot innocent of charges. The brutal war in Ukraine, which has caused horrific suffering and claimed tens of thousands of innocent lives, is fueled by fossil fuel revenues. European companies should be morally obligated to ensure they are not contributing to this devastation.
The decision of any corporation to take legal action against those who raise these concerns is deeply troubling, but the court has affirmed that the truth can be spoken. We stand with all who work to shine a light on the continuing role of fossil fuel money and European corporate collaboration in financing Russia’s war in Ukraine. The people of Ukraine and all those fighting for peace and justice can take strength from today’s decision.”
TotalEnergies’ deep entanglement with Russia’s fossil fuel industry is undeniable. The company:
- Is currently bound by a supply contract with Novatek until 2032 and owns a 20 percent stake in the Yamal project which operates an LNG facility in Siberia.
- Co-owned the Termokarstovoye gas field, which produced gas condensate transformed into aviation fuel used by Russian jets to bomb Ukrainian cities, as revealed by investigations from Global Witness and Le Monde
Until TotalEnergies fully ends its business ties with Russia, and as long as French ports continue to receive Russian LNG, France continues helping contribute to funding a war that rains missiles on Ukrainian civilians, like the ones last night that killed four people.
ENDS
Dr. Iryna Ptashnyk, Senior Research and Development at Ukrainian group Razom We Stand, is a Ukrainian lawyer with expertise in international and European Union law, environmental protection, security, peacebuilding, and conflict transformation. She has been featured in the press related to energy topics, the Russian war and to TotalEnergies.
Razom We Stand reiterates its call for all European companies to divest fully from Russian fossil fuel infrastructure and end all financial flows to Putin’s war machine. There can be no climate justice, and no peace for Ukraine, while European fossil firms continue to work with petro-dictator Putin.
Razom We Stand is a Ukraine-based campaign group active internationally. It calls for a total and permanent embargo on Russian fossil fuels and an immediate end to all investment in Russian oil and gas companies by phasing out fossil fuels globally.
Razom We Stand has appeared in the top-tier international press, including Financial Times, Bloomberg, Politico, Der Spiegel, Le Monde, The Guardian, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Newsweek, The Hill, Rolling Stone, and more.
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