2026-02-19 16:21
publication
2026-02-19 16:21
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Thursday in Paris that China could strengthen its position in the International Energy Agency (IEA) if the US leaves it. He assured that the United States did not want to leave the IEA.
During the press conference as part of the IEA ministerial meeting, PAP asked Wright whether the US administration is not afraid that after the possible departure of the United States, a void will be created in the IEA, which China will want to fill.
– Of course, there is always such a risk, so our goal is not to withdraw. We desperately do not want to withdraw, replied the American minister.
Wright has threatened more than once that the US will withdraw from the IEA and on Thursday he repeated this threat, setting conditions for his continued presence in the organization.
“We will remain a proud (…) founding member of the IEA, but unless the IEA is able to refocus on its mission of energy integrity, energy access and energy security, we will unfortunately become former members of the IEA,” Wright said.
He also blamed the organization for causing a large increase in energy prices.
He added that the declarations of many countries about their intentions to switch to new energy sources because they are “cleaner and better” are not true. If this were true, such a policy would not need to be preached and “imposed” on the entire planet, Wright said.
The minister threatened to withdraw the US from the IEA last year. On Tuesday, he said that the US would remain in the organization if the IEA completes the reforms. In an interview with AFP, Wright admitted that the organization had taken “a few first steps” towards reform, but there was still a long way to go.
American criticism of the IEA was also voiced on Wednesday, the first day of the ministerial meeting in Paris. At the time, Wright called on the IEA to focus on energy security and again sharply criticized dozens of countries' plans to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
US threats are not limited to leaving the IEA. Ruling Republicans blamed the 2025 organization for politicizing clean energy development forecasts. Therefore, in July they threatened to end Washington's funding for the agency.
From Paris Yana Bzot (PAP)
yb/ap/
