DISINFO: The switch to LNG dependency is unfavourable to Europe
SUMMARY
The European hopes to implement an energy transition without LNG are unlikely to come true. Moving away from Russian energy resources made Europe dependent on other suppliers, what can hardly be considered beneficial. By the end of 2022, the share of LNG deliveries to Europe increased to 89%, while the pipeline gas reduced to 11% - the European consumers had to pay for gas almost two times more.
Apparently, the European dream to diversify Russian gas supplies did not come true – the dependency on pipeline gas was replaced by dependency on LNG deliveries. It is a very unfavourable situation for European countries – that is why the EU is actively trying to change the gas map in order not to go from one extreme to the other.
RESPONSE
This message is a part of a popular pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative, claiming that the energy crisis in Europe is caused by an “irrational” European plan to get rid of its dependency on Russian gas. This narrative promotes a traditional pro-Kremlin message that Russia is the only reliable source of gas for Europe, while the American LNG is too expensive.
In 2022, the European countries actively switched to LNG deliveries as the main alternative source of gas after the Russian decision to cut off gas supplies to Europe.
After the outbreak of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian authorities completely destroyed the European trust in Gazprom as a predictable and solid partner. Throughout 2022, Russia deliberately cut the gas supplies to the EU and made impossible further gas supplies through the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines.
During recent decades, Russia has used its energy resources on multiple occasions as a weapon against other countries, attempting to coerce them into following a pro-Kremlin line.
The diversification of energy supplies is one of the cornerstones of the EU’s energy policy – it helps to strengthen European energy security, to prevent the monopolisation of the energy market and to introduce more competition to the energy market.
See more disinformation cases on energy issues amid the invasion of Ukraine.