EU's New Energy Chief Pledges to End Europe's Reliance on Russian Energy

The EU’s newly appointed Energy Commissioner, Dan Jørgensen, has pledged to bring an end to the bloc’s dependency on Russian energy.

In an interview with Politico on December 12, Jørgensen said that the EU’s campaign to reduce reliance on Russian fuel has stalled in recent months and stressed the need for a reinvigorated approach.

“Something new has to happen,” he stated.

Jørgensen declared that as EU energy chief he is making it his “top priority” to develop a comprehensive plan to totally sever the EU’s ties to the Russian energy sector.

He expressed concern over the EU’s increasing imports of Russian liquefied natural gas, and noted that as of now, five member states (Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Finland and Czechia) remain reliant on Russia for nuclear fuel.

Jørgensen stated his intention to develop “a tangible roadmap that will include efficient tools and means for us to solve the remaining part of the problem.” His plan will primarily target dependencies on Russian gas, oil, and nuclear fuel and can be expected to be unveiled within his first 100 days in office.

Since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU has imposed extensive sanctions on Russian seaborne coal and oil exports and has reduced its reliance on pipeline gas by approximately two-thirds.

Some EU states, most notably Hungary and Slovakia, have opposed imposing stricter restrictions on Russian energy imports.

On December 11, the EU sanctioned an additional 52 Russian oil tankers from Russia’s shadow fleet, prohibiting them from accessing EU ports, bringing the total to 79.

Oil revenues are a vital source of funding for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Sanctioned tankers have transported around $4.9 billion worth of crude oil over the past year, directly fueling Russia’s war efforts.