i am stephen sakur. economies across the industrialised world are feeling the strain of soaring fossil fuel energy costs. but the bad news for energy consumers represents a potential bonanza for the biggest producers. step forward gas rich russia. ideally placed to exert growing influence in your apartment energy market. my your apartment energy market. my guess is sergei ryabkov, russia's deputy minister of foreign affairs. given moscow scope of an increasingly tense relations with the west, will energy deepen the mistrust? minister sergei ryabkov in moscow, welcome to hardtalk. thank you for having me. minister, we must start with the soaring cost of fossil fuel energy, particularly natural gas. russia possesses vast quantities of natural gas. plus 40% of the natural gas going into europe. there is the concern in europe about the leverage that gives moscow. are you prepared right now to alleviate those concerns? very much s0- _ alleviate those concerns? very much s0- in — alleviate those concerns? very