Earlier this week, POLITICO reported that the EU was considering a ban on new Russian fossil fuel contracts as part of its long-awaited roadmap.
The plan has been delayed for weeks amid geopolitical uncertainty following U.S. President Donald Trump’s rapprochement with the Kremlin. Von der Leyen has, however, previously welcomed the suggestion of buying more American gas to help phase out Russian shipments.
“These energy partnerships, including imports of liquefied natural gas from the United States, remain of strategic importance for the European Union,” she added, while also crediting renewable power as having helped break Moscow’s stranglehold.
Meanwhile, the risk of Russian sabotage and cyberattacks against energy infrastructure is growing, demanding more cross-border cooperation with countries like Britain.
“We are developing capabilities to protect critical undersea cables,” von der Leyen said. “We are open and ready to share our experiences and to cooperate on this with strategic partners. “
