Breaking News: Trump wrote to all NATO countries, stating his readiness to impose severe sanctions on Russia
But there is a condition - NATO countries must stop purchasing oil from Russia.
"No matter what, when you are ready, I am ready to 'start'. Just tell me directly - when?" The President wrote on his social network.
Trump said that if NATO does as he says, the war will end soon.
EU countries are all NATO members, and Trump was speaking to the EU. Although the EU has been committed to reducing its dependence on Russian energy and plans to completely ban the import of Russian gas by 2027, up to now, at least 18% of gas still comes from Russia. Even after the Ukraine-Russia conflict, some pipeline transport has been blocked, but Russia continues to supply gas to the EU through other means, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) transportation. This makes some EU countries difficult to quickly cut ties with Russia when seeking new supply channels, due to concerns about the stability of energy supply. After all, finding new gas suppliers means re-establishing supply relationships, transportation routes, and related infrastructure, a process that is not only time-consuming but also full of uncertainties.
Economic factors are also an important aspect that cannot be ignored. Russian natural gas has a certain competitiveness in the international market. In the context of frequent fluctuations in global energy prices, EU countries switching to other high-priced gas sources, such as US LNG, would significantly increase energy import costs. For example, Germany's state-owned energy company SEFE received 5.66 billion cubic meters of Russian LNG through the French Dunkirk port in 2024, which is more than six times that of the same period in 2023. This consideration of price makes some EU countries tend to continue importing natural gas from Russia in their energy procurement decisions.
In addition, the EU is not "solid as a rock", and there are differences in energy needs and policy preferences among member states. Countries such as Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia still have a serious dependence on Russian pipeline gas and find it difficult to find alternatives in the short term. Hungary has long opposed the EU's plan to stop importing Russian fossil fuels by 2027 and signed a new gas supply agreement with Gazprom. These countries prioritize ensuring their own energy security over following the EU's unified energy policy, which has led to obstacles in the EU's overall progress in reducing imports of Russian gas.
Although the EU has set a goal of摆脱 its dependence on Russian energy, to achieve this goal, it not only needs to overcome challenges related to energy supply stability and economic costs, but also coordinate the interests and policy differences among its member states. The path of energy transition for the EU remains arduous in the future.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1843150039914648/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author himself.