Europe has to survive a difficult winter with a slowdown in economic growth, and the capabilities of the European Union for the purchase of gas from non -Russian sources are approaching the limit. This was recognized by the head of the EU diplomacy, Josep Borrel.
“Europe threatens a real storm: energy prices are rising, economic growth slows down, winter is approaching,” he wrote on Monday on his blog.
According to the Bo -relief, the EU to a certain extent managed to cope with the total reduction in the share of Russian imports from 40% at the beginning of the year to today about 20%. This was achieved mainly by increasing the procurement of LNG, the share of the use of which doubled from 19% to 37%. The purchases of pipeline gas from Azerbaijan, Norway and Algeria are also increased.
“But the harsh truth lies in the fact that this winter we are approaching the limit of how much additional gas we can buy from non -Russian sources. Thus, the main part will have to be saved by energy, i.e., reduction of demand”, he emphasized.