EU to continue purchasing US LNG with increased volumes

The European Commission has confirmed that the EU will continue to purchase liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States, increasing import volumes.

This announcement follows demands from US President Donald Trump for the EU to expand its LNG purchases from the US, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

At a briefing in Brussels, European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen stated that half of the EU's LNG imports already come from the US, with the bloc ready to continue negotiations to further increase imports.

"We are already sourcing half of our LNG from the US, but we are prepared to engage in further talks to increase imports," she said in response to reporters' questions regarding Trump's call for the EU to purchase $350 billion worth of US LNG in exchange for concessions in the ongoing trade war and lower tariffs.

Itkonen also emphasised that the EU is focused on reducing its reliance on Russian energy supplies, with the US being an important partner in diversifying the bloc's energy sources.

To recall, over the past several years, the United States has become the European Union's largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG). In 2021, the U.S. provided 27% of Europe's LNG imports, amounting to 2.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). This share increased to 44% (6.5 Bcf/d) in 2022 and further to 48% (7.1 Bcf/d) in 2023.

Qatar and Russia were the second and third-largest LNG suppliers to Europe in 2023, contributing 14% (2.0 Bcf/d) and 13% (1.8 Bcf/d) of imports, respectively. Together with the U.S., these countries supplied three-quarters of Europe's LNG imports in 2022 and 2023. ​

The shift in LNG supply sources is largely attributed to geopolitical events, notably Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This conflict led European nations to reduce their reliance on Russian pipeline gas, prompting a significant increase in LNG imports from alternative suppliers like the U.S.

By Aghakazim Guliyev