RUSSIA will try to "come to the rescue" of the UK amid rapidly rising energy costs, says the country's ambassador Andrey Kelin.

He told Andrew Marr they will do what they can to "alleviate difficult conditions" created by the crisis, Russia provides only five percent of the UK's gas usage, but nearly half of the EU's natural gas imports.

The ambassador denied Russia was withholding gas supplies into Europe to pressure Germany into certifying the newly built 764-mile Nord Stream 2 pipeline directly between both countries.

Instead he pointed to "gas problems" at the pump stations.

(c) 2021 City A.M., source Newspaper