How Europe seeks to get out of the Russian lure on power | EUROtoday

How Europe seeks to get out of the Russian lure on power
 | EUROtoday

“DIn February 2022, we bought Russian gas for an amount greater than the sum of money that we gave aid to Ukraine. It is strong of this hardly brilliant observation that the European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, the Danish Dan Jorgensen, exposed his plan to gradually get out of Russian energies (gas, oil and uranium). The figures are to be updated, but, in wholesale, since February 2022, Vladimir Putin was able to have about 200 billion euros from Europeans while the Ukrainians were helped by Europe up to 134.9 billion euros in kyiv, according to data from last February.

To illustrate the extent of the financial chasm, the Danish commissioner prefers to use a military metaphor: these sums paid in Moscow would be equivalent to the purchase of “2,400 new F-35”, these American hunting planes at the cutting edge of technology. Last year, Brussels paid 1.8 billion euros monthly to Moscow. An embarrassing paradox when Russia supreme opponent and the main threat to European security.

Read too How Europe wants to pay less for its energyFaced with this untenable situation, the Commission therefore presented its roadmap, known as Repowreu, to get Europe out of its dependence on Russian hydrocarbons. Progressive weaning of the Member States. First act: the introduction of new rules on the “traceability” of Russian gas – understand a system allowing to follow the origin of the molecules which circulate in European pipes. It is not entirely superfluous when you know that Russia goes through intermediaries – Azerbaijan or India – to continue to sell its resources …

Spot contracts banned at the end of 2025

Second act, more radical: the outright prohibition of new contracts with Russian suppliers (whether gas transported by gas pipeline or LNG, this liquefied natural gas transported by boat). The so -called “spot” existing contracts – these punctual purchases on short -term markets – would be banned from the end of 2025. Finally, the last act, the most ambitious: the total judgment of Russian gas imports by the end of 2027.

“It will not be a straightforward process,” admits Commissioner Jorgensen. This has challenges, but it is doable, “he stated, promising help for the Member States” when and where it is necessary “. A diplomatic means of admitting the tensions to return. The plan introduced should nonetheless be adopted by the 27, which guarantees tight negotiations.

Read too Nuclear Europe: again all? Unlike sanctions that require unanimity, power measures could be voted by a professional majority. “These measures do not require being periodically renewed such as sanctions,” says Jorgensen. A barely veiled means of signifying that Hungary won’t, this time, will indefinitely block the method, it’s believed. However, the Treaty on the functioning of the EU in article 194-2 introduces a draw back: a Member State has the precise to “determine the conditions of exploitation of its energy resources, its choice between different energy sources and the general structure of its energy supply”.

This is exactly a heavy level of friction. Viktor Orban, the Hungarian Prime Minister, might be based mostly on this paragraph and he is probably not the one one on the board to defeat this proposal from the Commission. Its nation relies upon at 80 % of gasoline and 60 % of Russian oil, to not point out the expertise of the nation’s solely nuclear energy plant. Viktor Orban categorically refuses to chop this important power twine for its financial system. He will definitely seize the EU Court of Justice towards this try to tarnish his sovereignty in power issues.

Budapest at all times extra linked to Moscow

He additionally rejected the alternate options proposed by Europeans, particularly since his relations with Croatia (a doable routing was envisaged) will not be glorious. Result: Budapest not too long ago signed new agreements to ensure its steady entry to Russian power and opposed all European sanctions which concerned an power element. During discussions on oil embargo, Orban in contrast the financial affect for its nation to a “nuclear bomb”. An opposition which had pressured Brussels to concede exemptions to Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

The PAKS nuclear energy plant, the one lively in Hungary, and which produces 35 to 40 % of nationwide electrical energy, is of Russian design and is predicated on VVER expertise (stress water reactor), a Soviet heritage. With the development of PAKS II, supplied by Rosatom, the Russian nuclear big, the nation will quickly be dependent at 80 % of Moscow for its electrical energy manufacturing.

How and why drive Hungary to chop with the Russians if the federal government doesn’t need it? “I do not point anyone, dodges the Danish commissioner. I am still a little embarrassed that last year, we still paid 23 billion euros in Russia, while she is at war with our friends in Ukraine. And it is also our own security. For me, it must be at the top of our agenda. »»

We will still notice that the European Union does not have the same pupmers when it comes to buying gas from Azerbaijan, whose behavior towards Haut-Karabakh Armenians is ethnic cleaning.

Donald Trump, a not so reliable ally

The other question is that of dependence changes: cut with Russian oil, why not? But buying American LNG in turn when you know the hegemonic aims of Donald Trump, is that really a good idea? The American president today uses customs duties to order his partners in the world. Who says he will not use the LNG lever tomorrow to achieve his ends with Greenland or any other vassalization subject that will be passed through his head?

However, the battle is just beginning. Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), transported by boat, partially compensated for the drop in flows via gas pipelines, in particular thanks to the Yamal LNG factory infrastructure in Siberia. Russia has also developed its “ghost fleet”, these ships which bypass sanctions by transporting oil outside international radars.

To counter these maneuvers, Brussels plans a maritime mission as part of the EU’s common security and defense policy. The objective: to identify “suspicious habits” and monitor illegal activities at sea. As for nuclear power, the Commission provides for restrictions on new supply contracts co -signed by the European supply agency. A “European Radio-Isotopes valley” (a European production center) is even envisaged to secure supply to medical isotopes.

Read too Europe in the face of the titanic challenge of its electrification
To uncover



The kangaroo of the day

Answer



This gradual outing of Russian energies is a part of a wider technique aimed toward accelerating the power transition from Europe. By deploying extra renewable energies and enhancing power effectivity, the EU hopes to save lots of 45 billion euros on its power costs this 12 months.

But time is operating out. The 23 billion euros paid to Russia final 12 months for its hydrocarbons verify that the trail to power independence stays strewn with pitfalls. And so long as Europe has not utterly lower this monetary twine with Moscow, its diplomacy will stay vitiated by a elementary contradiction: funding each the Ukrainian resistance and, not directly, the Russian aggressor.


https://www.lepoint.fr/monde/comment-l-europe-cherche-a-sortir-du-piege-russe-sur-l-energie-07-05-2025-2589050_24.php