JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia Standoff Prompts Europe to Enlist U.S. Help Securing Gas” – WSJ

Gas Flame file photo

“With over 40% of the EU’s natural gas supplies under Moscow’s control, officials are scouring the globe for ship loads to redirect.”

“… U.S. and European officials are racing to find short-term alternatives to refill depleted [European gas] reserves. More than two-dozen tankers are en route from the U.S. to Europe, lured by high [EU] gas prices …. Another 33 tankers that haven’t yet confirmed their destinations [reportedly] are likely to mainly head [to Europe] as well [but would replace only a portion of Russian supplies] …. [The United States and European allies already are pushing U.S. buyers elsewhere to allow shipments already paid for to be rerouted to Europe.] The efforts … attempt to weaken … Moscow’s strongest leverage over Europe: … [Europe’s] biggest and easiest source of gas flows from Russia through a network of pipelines that cross Belarus and Ukraine. …”

Imported Russian gas helps power European factories, heating and the generating of electricity. European countries such as Germany and Austria have delayed diversification to more expensive alternative sources.

Click here for: “Russia Standoff Prompts Europe to Enlist U.S. Help Securing Gas; With over 40% of the EU’s natural gas supplies under Moscow’s control, officials are scouring the globe for ship loads to redirect” – Wall Street Journal/ Drew Hinshaw, Laurence Norman, Bojan Pancevski

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