US Looking For Alternatives To Russian Supplies Of Natural Gas To Europe - White House

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th January, 2022) The United States is considering alternatives to natural gas supplies from Russia to Europe, including identifying additional volumes of the resource from North Africa, the middle East, and Asia, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Tuesday.

"We are in discussions with major natural gas producers around the globe to understand their capacity and willingness to temporarily surge natural gas output and to allocate these volumes to European buyers," Psaki said during a press briefing when asked whether Qatar would be able to provide additional volumes of gas. "(US gas) strategy is not based on any one individual country or entity. It's a broad approach that includes engagement with Europeans as well as suppliers in North Africa and Middle East, Asia and in the US."

Psaki added that the United States is currently engaging with major buyers and suppliers of its liquified natural gas (LNG) to ensure flexibility in existing contracts to enable diversion of gas to Europe.

European consumers are increasingly worried that a possible conflict between Russia and Ukraine will cause disruptions in gas supplies and raise energy costs. Meanwhile, Russia's Gazprom has increased gas transit through Ukraine to Europe by more than 20% compared to last week's average, according to data from Transmission System Operator of Ukraine and Slovakia's Eustream.

Western nations say they continue to press for a diplomatic solution to the escalating Russia-Ukraine tensions, even as American troops were placed on "high alert" for possible deployment to Eastern Europe while NATO dispatched additional ships and fighter jets to the region. Moscow has repeatedly denied any intent of attacking any country, blaming the West for increasing tensions in the region and pointing to NATO's military activities near its borders.