On January 1st, Russia stopped supplying gas to Europe, ending decades of dominance over the bloc’s energy markets.
What are the consequences for EU countries of interrupted gas flow through the pipeline passing via Ukraine? Was the decision to interrupt the gas flow the right one?
Today Radio Schuman answers these questions with Szymon Kardas, senior policy fellow on energy at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Moscow supplied nearly 40% of the EU’s natural gas via pipelines. Following the war, Russia significantly reduced its supply through key pipelines.
In response, the EU diversified its imports, with Norway and the United States becoming the top suppliers by 2023. This shift allowed the EU to plan eliminating Russian gas imports entirely by 2027. However, nations like Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria, which still rely heavily on Russian gas, face significant challenges.
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico recently travelled to Brussels to protest the impact on his country, even threatening to cut electricity flows to Ukraine and reduce aid for Ukrainian refugees.
On the other parts of this podcast, we look at Croatian elections and the best bathhouses in Europe.
Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques. Audio editing by David Brodheim. Music by Alexandre Jas.
