EU Member States Reaching Out To Caspian Nations To Find Gas Suppliers - US Official

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th May, 2022) The European Union member states are reaching out to countries in the Caspian region and elsewhere to find possible gas suppliers to avoid dependence on Russian gas, US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Diplomacy Laura Lochman said on Thursday.

"The EU member states are reaching out as we speak to the those potential suppliers and the Caspian is one of those regions that they're looking towards in particular in South-Eastern Europe, they're very interested in passing regional gas to that part of Europe," Lochman said. "We also have the balance that we have to hit in terms of building out new technologies and infrastructure that is related to the energy transition at the same time as we're working on energy security, so clearly we do recognize gas will be part of this transition."

Lochman noted that the United States is closely working with the EU member states on this matter.

The European Union is now preparing the sixth package of sanctions against Russia over Moscow's military operation in Ukraine, including an oil embargo. Yet, EU member states remain at odds about the ability of the bloc to substitute Russian energy supplies by obtaining alternative sources, given the heavy dependence on oil (24%) and gas (39.2%) from Russia.

On April 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin's decree requiring gas payments in rubles went into effect. It stipulates that all contracts for pipeline gas deliveries with companies from "unfriendly nations" be settled in the Russian national Currency. Most of countries have rejected Russia's request, with EU officials and country leaders taking steps to diversify gas supplies in the hope of eventually they will abandon Russian energy products.