EU leaders said at their summit on Fri. that member states have greatly reduced their depen-dency on Russia for energy and have diversified their sources. “We will ensure access to af- fordable energy, increase our energy sovereignty and reduce external dependencies in other key areas where the EU needs to build a sufficient level of capacity to guarantee its economic and social welfare,” they said. Ukraine is pushing for quicker action, and the Int’l Working Group on Russian Sanctions called in Sept., with Volodymyr Zelensky’s support, for an EU embargo on Russian LNG and for a requirement that all Russian pipeline gas to Europe flow via Ukraine. The Working Group also wants the EU Commission be given exclusive right to be the sole European buyer of Russian gas and to take on all existing Russian gas-supply con- tracts. When EU leaders, including Pres. Petr Pavel, say they will support Ukraine for as long as it takes and by all means possible, they need to be more specific in terms of Russian gas.

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