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How the EU is Breaking Free from Russian Energy Dependency

President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the at the BRICS+ meeting (via videoconference).
President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the at the BRICS+ meeting (via videoconference). Image Credit: Creative Commons.

When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, the European Union announced that it would distance itself from the Russian energy empire. The EU banned all coal and most crude oil imports from Russia, but the EU’s goal of a complete separation has been challenging. In 2022 and 2023, the Europeans spent tens of billions on Russian energy products, suggesting that the European organization still relies on Russia’s energy market.

The Europeans are well aware of their energy dependence on Russia, and they know it is an issue. As a result, the Europeans are exploring how to diversify their energy market to strengthen their energy security without relying on the Russian Federation.

Europe Works to Solve its Russia Energy Problem

One method has been through the construction of alternative energy infrastructure. In 2019, the Europeans introduced the European Green Deal, a plan that sought to “address global warming [by] shift[ing Europe] towards cleaner energy.” By 2022, the European Council adopted “regulation to speed up permits for renewable energy projects” across the European continent. This has resulted in the construction of wind power turbines and solar panels within EU states. There has also been an emphasis on tidal power, hydropower, geothermal energy, and biofuels. By pursuing these options, the EU hopes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by “at least 55% by 2030.” It is an ambitious target, but these renewable energy options are helping provide the EU with alternative energy sources while improving air quality and reducing pollution in Europe.

Aside from green energy, the Europeans have also pursued liquefied natural gas (LNG). This is important as the Europeans need to find reliable alternative gas suppliers to Russia. Otherwise, the Europeans will be held hostage to Russia’s energy monopoly.

To escape Russia’s grasp, aside from investing in renewable energy options, the EU should also purchase LNG from other countries and organizations. This would help it further diversity its energy market while reducing its reliance on Russia.

For example, in 2023, the United States provided nearly 50% of the EU’s LNG imports. The EU also purchased LNG from Algeria, Nigeria, and Qatar. Acquiring these products from these countries helped drive down energy costs across the EU.

Thinking Differently About Energy

The European organization has also turned to countries outside of its collective for assistance. For example, the United Kingdom has been an important LNG partner. When the EU announced that it would reduce its energy reliance on Russian gas, the UK was one of the first countries to provide assistance to the European collective. According to Energy UK, “more than a quarter of Europe’s lost Russian energy was replaced by exports from the UK.” This helped keep the European energy industry afloat. Then UK then increased its energy exports to help “meet European demand[s].” Now, the UK has become a regular LNG supplier to the EU.

The UK is not the only European country aiding the EU’s changes in its energy markets. Turkey is also working to help strengthen the EU’s energy security. According to the Atlantic Council, Tukey has become Europe’s “fourth-largest LNG importer.” This relationship has further diversified Europe’s energy market, thus no longer making it dependent on Russia.

Finally, LNG companies from Switzerland are also supplying the EU. Swiss engagement with the European energy market has provided the Europeans with another energy source without relying on Russian gas. This will allow European energy prices to stay low as Europeans purchase supplies from a variety of suppliers.

In short, pursuing renewable options as well as LNG would help diversify the EU’s energy security as it would no longer be reliant upon a single entity for its heat and electricity. Companies from the United States, Algeria, Nigeria, Qatar, the UK, Turkey, and Switzerland have aided Europe in this sense through LNG sales. These interactions gave the Europeans access to heat and electricity at more affordable prices, and it has also helped the EU’s energy market become more stable.

The EU’s strategy in building renewable energy infrastructure while also purchasing LNG is working. It is time for the Europeans to ditch the Russian energy menace. This will make Europe’s energy security cleaner and safer.

About the Author

Mark Temnycky is an accredited freelance journalist covering Eurasian affairs and a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. He can be found on X @MTemnycky.

Mark Temnycky
Written By

Mark Temnycky is a nonresident fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. He is also an accredited freelance journalist covering Eurasian affairs and European energy security matters. Temnycky’s articles have been published by various news outlets, including the New York Times, Forbes, the Hill, the Diplomat, the National Interest, EUobserver, the Diplomatic Courier, the Euromaidan Press, and several other US and European news outlets. He has been published by think tanks such as the Atlantic Council, the Wilson Center, and the Center for European Policy Analysis. Temnycky’s articles have been referenced and shared by the European Parliament, NATO Library, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Transparency International, and several other governmental and nongovernmental institutions, think tanks, and news outlets across North America and Europe. Temnycky was a recipient of the Ukrainian World Congress’ inaugural “Ukrainian diaspora 30 under 30” award, and he was recognized by the International Sports Press Association in 2023 for his coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He also received the medal “For the sacrifice and love for Ukraine” from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate. Temnycky holds a master’s degree in public administration and a Master of Arts in international relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in history, with departmental honors, from Le Moyne College, and has a certificate in international relations from Georgetown University.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. RequestBeingVerified

    October 28, 2024 at 10:12 pm

    The EU is as fascist as NATO.

    It’s totally amazing putin wants to feed or even nurture its existence.

    How frickin’ stupid.

    Let the EU depend on uncle sam for sustaining all of its energy needs.

    Cut off the arabs, too.

    Putin is plain stupid or dumb.

  2. 404NofFound

    October 29, 2024 at 1:16 am

    The EU is the enemy of world peace and opponent of independence of national freedom(s) for the world.

    Thus putin must initiate a Plan to destroy the EU.

    Putin must be able to see far far beyond the tip of his ski nose otherwise he needs to take a hike. Immediately.

    Ukraine today is totally fascist and neo-nazist, the full-grown lapdog of EU.

    Thus kyiv must be defeated TODAY, now in 2024, before biden hands over the president’s job to harris or trump. Biden is a jerk, but putin must still be completely wary of the 47th pres.

    That president could well be hostage to the glob or MIC.

    ONCE UKRAINE is defeated, a new republic must be established in its place called ‘novorossiya’ an entity where only russian is spoken and used.

    As for the neo-nazists, they can establish a new ukraine in the former east germany region.

    The hell with the EU then. Let it handle the new-born monster. Neo-nazi ukrolandia !

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