European Union opens 2-day summit on energy crisis

The European Union has opened a two-day summit on how to cap gas prices amid an energy crisis caused by Russia. Germany and France are in opposing camps regarding the issue.

"Our role is to make sure that there is a European unity and that Germany is part of it," said French President Emmanuel Macron. "It is not good either for Germany or Europe that it isolates itself. It is important that on proposals that are the subject of a broad consensus, we can find unanimity," Macron said upon arrival at the summit.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said any dispute was on the method, not the goal. "Prices for gas, for oil, for coal, must sink; electricity prices must sink, and this is something that calls for a joint effort by all of us in Europe," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.

The Netherlands too said it feared that if a price cap was set too high, supplies would simply sail by Europe and go elsewhere. "Everyone wants the gas price to come down, but you want to make sure that gas imports keep coming," Prime Minister Rutte said.