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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
欧盟敦促俄罗斯与乌克兰解决能源争端
Russia's confrontation1 with the West over the growing unrest in eastern Ukraine could lead to another energy crisis in the European countries that are dependent on Russian energy. Europe gets about one-third of its gas supplies from Russia, and about half of it is dispatched through Ukraine. Europeans are increasingly looking into alternative sources of energy to reduce their reliance on Russia. Meanwhile, the EU is mediating2 a deal between Russia and Ukraine that would secure a steady gas supply for next winter.
The Ukrainian military effort to regain3 cities under pro-Russian rebel control has not gone as well as the government in Kyiv expected. Acting4 President Oleksander Turchynov said the military has had to act with restraint in order to spare civilians5.
"I would like to underline that the operation did not progress as quickly as hoped for, and was complicated by the fact that terrorist bases are situated6 in heavily populated cities, and that they were hiding behind citizens, hiding behind hostages and firing from apartment blocks," he said.
Heavily armed rebels shot down military helicopters on Friday, killing7 two pilots. British Ambassador to the United Nations Mark Lyall Grant said it is clear that Russia is arming the insurgents8.
"Peaceful activists9 do not have the means or the capabilities10 to shoot down three Ukrainian military helicopters, reportedly using MANPADS [man-portable air-defense systems]," he said.
Western leaders and Russia are accusing each other of failing to take steps to de-escalate the political crisis in Ukraine, as they agreed last month in Geneva. Mike Ingram, a London-based market strategist, says it was not a solid agreement in the first place.
"Frankly11, I was amazed that anyone thought anything of use whatsoever12 had been agreed at the Geneva conference just over a week ago. I think the longer-term situation in Ukraine is partition. I don't believe that Ukraine is governable in its current shape," he said.
Russia is poised13 to send its forces across the border in support of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. If the West retaliates14 with more economic sanctions, Russia may respond by withholding15 energy supplies. German trader Fidel Helmer says that would not be wise.
"This could certainly have very negative consequences for Russia because the Europeans and the Americans are already in the process of finding alternatives for gas deliveries. This would, of course, mean that Russia would export less gas and therefore make less money, something they desperately16 need," said Helmer.
Ukrainian, Russian and EU energy officials met Friday in Poland to discuss how to avoid an energy crisis. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak says his country may halt gas supplies to Ukraine for failing to pay its existing gas bills.
"The general debt for the supplied gas to Ukraine in accordance with the current contract is about 3.5 billion U.S. dollars. And this debt will increase in April by 1.3 billion dollars," he said.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuri Prodan blames the situation on Moscow. He says Kyiv will seek justice.
"If an agreement is not reached, we will meet [Russia's natural gas producer] Gazprom in a Stockholm court on May 28," he said. "According to our lawyers, Ukrainian debt to Gazprom may be changed during arbitration17 because of abusive acts by Gazprom in Ukraine's natural gas market.
Russia caused energy crises in Europe in 2006 and 2009 when it cut off supplies to Ukraine. Representatives of all three are set to meet again later this month.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)
1 confrontation | |
n.对抗,对峙,冲突 | |
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2 mediating | |
调停,调解,斡旋( mediate的现在分词 ); 居间促成; 影响…的发生; 使…可能发生 | |
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3 regain | |
vt.重新获得,收复,恢复 | |
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4 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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5 civilians | |
平民,百姓( civilian的名词复数 ); 老百姓 | |
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6 situated | |
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的 | |
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7 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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8 insurgents | |
n.起义,暴动,造反( insurgent的名词复数 ) | |
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9 activists | |
n.(政治活动的)积极分子,活动家( activist的名词复数 ) | |
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10 capabilities | |
n.能力( capability的名词复数 );可能;容量;[复数]潜在能力 | |
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11 frankly | |
adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说 | |
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12 whatsoever | |
adv.(用于否定句中以加强语气)任何;pron.无论什么 | |
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13 poised | |
a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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14 retaliates | |
v.报复,反击( retaliate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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15 withholding | |
扣缴税款 | |
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16 desperately | |
adv.极度渴望地,绝望地,孤注一掷地 | |
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17 arbitration | |
n.调停,仲裁 | |
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