Fears grow over Russia undermining EU energy strategy

Italy has sounded the alarm over Russia’s recent energy deal with Algeria, amid fears that the Kremlin is undermining the EU’s strategy of seeking less energy dependency on Moscow.

Russia’s state-owned energy firms Gazprom and Lukoil in August announced they would clinch a co-operation deal with Algeria’s state energy firm Sonatrach, in a move which directly challenges EU plans to boost gas imports from Algeria in order to decrease
dependency on Russian supplies.
An energy expert quoted by FT Deutschland warned this week that “If the EU does not agree on a coherent external energy policy, central Asia will soon not be available as a supplier of gas,” referring to Russian efforts to tie central Asian states to Moscow with raw materials contracts.

The EU’s June energy paper had described the development of energy corridors to the Caspian region and Central Asia directly to the EU as “vital,” with officials highlighting the “enormous” oil and gas reserves in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, which could reach the EU via Turkey bypassing Russia.

EU Observer