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Can Clean Energy Sever the Needle That Hooks Europe to Russian Fossil Fuels?

Nearly three years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the world has learned a hard truth: fossil fuel dependency fuels war. With clean energy now on the rise, Europe has a chance to cut the cord that has long tied it to Russian energy.
Every euro spent on Russian fossil fuels funds more missiles, more destruction, and more suffering—including the deaths of over 12,000 civilians and the kidnapping of 20,000 Ukrainian children who have been forcibly taken to Russia. But there is hope. The rapid expansion of clean energy—both in Ukraine and across Europe—provides a viable path to severing this dangerous dependence once and for all.
Renewables are already replacing Russian fossil fuels
The idea that Europe cannot function without Russian energy is outdated. In 2024, nearly 47% of the EU’s electricity came from renewable sources, with solar surpassing coal for the first time. Wind and solar energy are proving that the transition away from fossil fuels is not just possible but is already happening. The EU’s REPowerEU plan, which has mobilized close to €300 billion in clean energy investments, is further accelerating this shift.

As the cost of renewables continues to plummet, EU leaders must recognize that clean energy is not just an environmental imperative—it is an economic advantage. Fossil fuels are volatile, expensive, and a source of geopolitical instability. By contrast, renewables provide energy security, price stability, and long-term savings. Instead of sinking billions into new gas infrastructure that will soon be obsolete, policymakers must double down on the clean energy transition already underway.
Lithuania's energy transition from Russian sources to renewables is just one example of what is happening in many nations across Europe. Lithuania became the first EU country to completely cease importing Russian fossil fuels and is now working to disconnect its electricity grid from Russia and Belarus, aiming to synchronize fully with the European grid. Additionally, Lithuania is collaborating with its Baltic Sea neighbors to secure critical offshore energy infrastructure in the region and unlock the Baltic Sea’s vast, untapped offshore wind resources.
Lithuania has experienced substantial growth in renewable electricity generation in the last three years. In 2024 solar and wind power plants produced 2.31 TWh of electricity, a 70% increase from the same period in 2023 (1.36 TWh) and more than double the amount produced in 2022. The country aims to generate 80% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025, with a long term goal of meeting all domestic electricity needs with renewables by 2030.

Ukraine’s clean energy future is tied to Europe’s energy security
Despite relentless Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the country remains committed to rebuilding with renewables. Ukraine’s largest energy supplier, DTEK, recently launched the Tyligulska Wind Power Plant by the Black Sea, with plans to quadruple its size to 500 MW. These efforts are not just about Ukraine’s recovery—they are part of a broader strategy to integrate Ukraine into the European energy system and strengthen regional energy security.
Razom We Stand’s 2024 report, Bridging the Gap Between Peace and Climate Action, highlights that Ukraine has 800 GW of untapped renewable energy potential, including solar, wind, and hydropower. By further investing in Ukraine’s clean energy sector, the EU can support Ukraine’s reconstruction while also reducing Europe’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels. This partnership is key to ensuring that Ukraine—and the rest of Europe—will never again be held hostage by Russian energy blackmail.
Russian LNG is a dying industry—time to cut it off
Even as Europe has slashed its dependence on Russian pipeline gas, Russian LNG imports surged in 2024, reaching over 17.8 million tons. While the Kremlin scrambles to maintain its fossil fuel revenue streams, the EU must act now to finish the job and shut this door permanently.
With gas demand expected to decline and renewables expanding at record rates, investing in new gas import infrastructure is an economic dead end, especially when cheaper renewable energy production booms. Yet, the European Commission recently approved €4.06 billion in state aid for German Floating LNG Terminals—an investment that makes little sense in a world moving toward decarbonization. Russian LNG is already expected to decline in the coming years. Now is the time to implement a full embargo and accelerate the shift to renewables.
Expanding gas export and import infrastructure with taxpayer handouts to private firms makes no sense at a time when the world needs to rapidly move away from fossil fuels to stop the massively expensive and destructive impacts of climate change, which are costing trillions.

Clean energy is the path to true energy security
Russia’s war has demonstrated the fragility of centralized energy systems. Decentralized renewables like solar and wind are far more resilient to attack than conventional power plants. In Russian-occupied and recently liberated regions of Ukraine, small-scale solar and wind projects are providing communities with independent, reliable energy, reducing their vulnerability to Russian strikes.
Projects like the Energy for Ukraine Foundation’s “50 Solar Hospitals” campaign and the installation of solar power at schools, such as Dunayevets Lyceum No. 1, showcase the potential of distributed energy systems. The school’s 42 solar panels will cover 54% of its electricity needs, saving €6,200 annually and reducing 612 tons of CO₂ over 25 years. These projects are blueprints for the future—not just for Ukraine but for all of Europe.
If Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction is renewable, it could create more than 4.2 million additional jobs in five key sectors: transportation, energy, healthcare, education, and water. A renewable post-war recovery can fully compensate for the jobs lost during the war.

What the EU can do next
To permanently sever its dependence on Russian fossil fuels and strengthen its energy future, the EU must:
Support Ukraine’s energy resilience: Ramp up financial and technical aid for decentralized renewable projects and grid reinforcements, particularly in regions liberated from Russian occupation. This should include on-demand EU funding for Ukrainian municipalities to modernize local energy infrastructure.
Strengthen the EU-Ukraine energy partnership: Expand grid interconnectors, facilitate cross-border renewable energy trade, and support the introduction of net-zero energy standards in construction.
Cut Russian LNG out of the EU energy mix: Implement a full embargo on Russian LNG, targeting imports from Russian energy companies Novatek and Gazprom. The transition is already happening—now is the time to accelerate it.
Scale up investment in renewables: Ensure that clean energy funding outpaces fossil fuel subsidies and eliminates wasteful spending on new gas infrastructure.
A defining moment for Europe
The EU has made remarkable progress in reducing its dependence on Russian energy, but this is not the time to slow down. Every step toward clean energy is a step toward energy security, economic stability, and peace. Russian fossil fuels have fueled war and destruction for far too long. With strong leadership and bold investment in renewables, Europe can sever the needle that has kept it hooked on Russian oil—and build a future powered by clean, independent energy.