European Commissioner: EU can survive without Russian gas

The European Union (EU) will be able to survive the winter without Russian gas if the supply is stopped by Moscow. Europe is well prepared for such a development of events, EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson told RBC-Ukraine, commenting on the statement of the head of Gazprom Alexei Miller on the possibility of stopping gas transit, Report informs.

“We have known for a long time that Russia is not a reliable partner. This became quite obvious to everyone at the moment when Russia decided to unilaterally terminate existing gas contracts with some member states. This means that for the last year and a half, we have been preparing and developing such a strategy that will help us survive the winter without Russian gas at all, if necessary," the European Commissioner said.

One of the key components of this strategy is the commitment to fill Europe's underground gas storage facilities (UGS) before the start of the heating season.

"We managed to do this last fall. Our storage facilities are now filled to about 80%. This does not cover all our needs, but gives us confidence," Simson said.

The EU has also created an Energy Platform for the joint purchase of gas, she recalled. The platform was initiated in April 2022 in response to the need to diversify gas supplies. This includes a range of measures on natural gas and LNG to ensure the security of supply and EU access to cheap energy. It also means more confidence for landlocked EU member states.

"We are well prepared and ready for any scenario. The EU is united and we have reliable partners we can trust," the Commissioner said.