The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen informed that the countries of the European Union (EU) have already filled gas storage facilities by 90%. This is three months ahead of schedule, according to Bloomberg.
“This will help keep us safe this winter. Together we refuse Russian gas. And we continue to work in parallel on more diverse sources of energy for the future," added the head of the European Commission.
- Gas prices in Europe rose to record levels last year, due to the Russian Federationʼs war against Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, and the gradual withdrawal of Russian gas. Then there was panic in the market, which led to government intervention — EU governments allocated almost $700 billion to help companies and consumers. Russia counted on the EUʼs dependence on its energy sources and pressured countries to loosen sanctions and not help Ukraine.
- Due to the sharp increase in the cost of energy carriers caused by the invasion of Russia, Europe lost almost a trillion dollars. EU countries began to refuse Russian gas and oil, and in November of last year, Germany admitted that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project contributed to the war in Ukraine.
- In January 2023, Germany informed that it had fully diversified its energy infrastructure after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and was no longer dependent on Russian energy sources.
- The Reuters agency writes that European traders have started storing gas in Ukraine, despite the war.