DISINFO: Without cheap Russian gas, the EU economy will inexorably slide into crisis
SUMMARY
The EU is discussing behind the scenes the restoration of Nord Stream. Without a return to cheap Russian gas, the EU economy will slide inexorably into crisis.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Nord Stream 2 pipeline amid the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine, subsequent Western sanctions on Russia and Russian retaliatory measures reducing gas supplies. This narrative plays into the Kremlin's claims that the West is collapsing.
The Kremlin seeks to pressure and blackmail the European governments and create public panic over energy insecurity/energy costs. There is no credible evidence that the EU secretly discusses the restoration of Nord Stream pipelines. The EU has consistently maintained its stance on reducing dependence on Russian energy since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The EU will end its dependency on Russian energy by stopping the import of Russian gas and oil and phasing out Russian nuclear energy, while ensuring stable energy supplies and prices across the Union. The REPowerEU Roadmap, presented by the European Commission (EC) in May 2025, paves the way for the EU to ensure complete energy independence from Russia.
Additionally, the European Union imposed sanctions on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline operators, which transport Russian gas to Europe, to eliminate any future investment interest.
The EU has been actively diversifying its energy sources and investing in renewable energy to ensure energy security. The assertion that the EU economy is inevitably sliding into crisis without cheap Russian gas is misleading. While there have been economic challenges, the EU has implemented various measures to mitigate the impact of reduced Russian gas supplies, including securing alternative sources, improving energy efficiency, and accelerating the transition to renewable energy. The EU's economy has shown resilience in adapting to these changes, contrary to the claim of an 'unstoppable' crisis.
Russia has proven itself to be an unreliable energy supplier through repeated supply disruptions, such as the 2006 and 2022 gas cut-offs, the use of energy as a geopolitical tool to exert political and economic pressure, and manipulative practices by Russian gas suppliers, all of which pose a significant risk to the EU’s energy stability and have accelerated the EU’s urgent efforts to diversify its energy sources and reduce dependence on Russian gas.
See more disinformation cases on energy issues amid invasion of Ukraine.