EMEA News
EU Sees Full Cut-Off of Russian Gas to Europe as 'Likely Scenario'
The European Union now sees Russia fully cutting off its gas flows to Europe as 'a likely scenario'.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen set out the EU's view of the gas situation in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine at a news conference on Wednesday.
"Russia is blackmailing us," news agency Reuters cited von der Leyen as saying.
"Russia is using energy as a weapon.
"And therefore, in any event, whether it's a partial, major cut-off of Russian gas or a total cut-off of Russian gas, Europe needs to be ready."
The Commission is proposing member states all voluntarily seek to reduce their gas consumption by 15% up to March.
European LNG bunker demand is likely to come under further strain this winter as gas supplies become more scarce. Many dual-fuelled ships have already reportedly switched to using conventional bunker fuels rather than LNG because of rising prices, and this process is likely to continue as the EU prioritises industry and domestic heating in the event of Russian gas becoming unavailable.
