A European Union deal to cut fuel use and increase renewable energy would be a better punishment on Moscow than more sanctions as it would clearly show the EU means to cut reliance on Russian gas, Denmark’s foreign minister said on Thursday, according to Reuters.

In a telephone interview, Martin Lidegaard told Reuters it was not the time to strengthen or weaken economic sanctions imposed on Moscow by the EU over Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

But Lidegaard said Moscow’s seizure of Crimea and a gas row between Ukraine and Russia should change the EU’s energy relationship with Russia once and for all.

EU climate and energy regulation for 2030 should serve as a clear message that Europe was weaning itself off Russian fuel.

“Right now, I think the present regime is the right one. I don’t think we should relinquish it,” Lidegaard said of EU sanctions.

“But an ambitious climate and energy package that will impact investment now, if everybody knows we are heading in another direction, that would be a non-aggressive action, rather than going for more sanctions right now. That would be the right way to send a firm signal.”

The European Commission, the EU executive, in January outlined climate and energy policy for 2030 and a meeting of EU leaders later this month will seek to get agreement on it from the 28 EU member states.

Commission officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have said they expect an agreement on a goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent compared with 1990 levels, to increase energy savings to 30 percent compared with business as usual and to increase the share of renewable energy to 27 percent of use. Some say this could be rounded to 30 percent.

Denmark is ranked as one of the more environmentally ambitious member states and Lidegaard said he hoped for a deal, but it would be difficult.

Poland, for instance, with its high dependency on carbon-intensive coal, is still “probably the country having the most difficulties,” said Lidegaard, a former Danish energy minister.