The United States has intensified diplomatic efforts to strengthen its position in the European energy market, actively promoting the export of its own gas and oil. US officials are making numerous trips across Europe to replace Russian fuel with American energy resources.
This is reported by Finway
Washington Aims for Complete EU Rejection of Russian Gas
According to information from diplomatic sources, the goal of the US is to eliminate “every last molecule” of Russian gas from European energy. This is occurring amid political pressure that Washington is exerting on its allies, officially urging them to reduce and completely halt the import of energy resources from Russia. According to US Secretary of the Interior Douglas Bergam, the issue of diversifying energy supply sources is key in all bilateral negotiations with EU countries.
Challenges for Traders Due to Anti-Russian Sanctions
The intensification of the US energy campaign coincided with attempts by the oil trader Gunvor to acquire foreign assets of the company Lukoil, which came under American sanctions in October. Sources report that increased public scrutiny of Gunvor’s past contacts with Russia complicated the deal. The US Treasury has already warned the trader that it will not issue permits for conducting business until the war against Ukraine is over.
Until 2014, one of the co-owners of Gunvor was Gennady Timchenko — a long-time associate of the President of the Russian Federation. Ahead of the imposition of sanctions against Timchenko, he sold his stake to Swedish businessman Torbjörn Törnqvist. Despite the formal change in ownership structure, US authorities have repeatedly expressed concerns about possible ties between Gunvor and Moscow entities.
“Washington aims to remove ‘every last molecule’ of Russian gas from European energy.”
US Secretary of Energy Christopher Wright also emphasized that EU countries have confirmed their intentions to completely cease imports of Russian gas by January 1, 2027. Meanwhile, Hungary has received a temporary exemption, but Budapest and Washington have yet to agree on the duration of its validity.
Amid new sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that restrictions on the export of Russian oil would reduce its supply in the global market and could provoke a rise in prices.