- Friday’s gathering — which lasted much longer than anticipated, reflecting the deep divisions among countries over how best to bring down energy costs — made no concrete progress on a series of proposals, including a controversial gas price cap.
- Some countries want to reimburse people for gas payments above a certain price.
- Still others have sought a mix-and-match of these ideas.
- But German Chancellor Olaf Scholz kiboshed that idea at a press conference Friday afternoon, insisting previous EU pandemic recovery funds could still be redirected.
- “I understand — all of us would rather spend the money we spend on armaments on completely different goals — peaceful goals, social needs,” he said. “