EU officials warn against growing dependence on U.S. LNG

"We are significantly increasing our dependence on liquefied natural gas imported from the U.S.," Ribera said in a video message delivered at a hydrogen-focused event held in Spain.

MADRID, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) officials have voiced growing concern in recent days over the bloc's increasing dependence on liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from the United States, a trend that has intensified following cuts in Russian gas supplies.

Teresa Ribera, executive vice-president of the European Commission for a Clean, Just, and Competitive Transition, on Wednesday warned that the EU is "significantly increasing" its reliance on LNG imported from the United States.

"We are significantly increasing our dependence on liquefied natural gas imported from the U.S.," Ribera said in a video message delivered at a hydrogen-focused event held in Spain.

While acknowledging that higher U.S. LNG imports have played a key role in reducing Europe's exposure to Russian gas, Ribera stressed that the bloc should avoid replacing one dependency with another. She called for greater diversification of energy supplies and better use of local resources, particularly renewable energy and renewable hydrogen.

The EU has recently decided to phase out all imports of Russian gas and LNG by late 2027. Against this backdrop, EU officials have reiterated the need to accelerate the rollout of renewable energy and boost domestic production to reduce the bloc's energy vulnerability.

According to data from the European Commission, the United States supplied nearly 58 percent of the LNG imported by the EU in 2025, four times the share recorded in 2021. Some analyses warn that up to 80 percent of Europe's LNG imports could come from the United States by 2030 if supplier diversification is not expanded.

European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jorgensen described the situation as a "wake-up call," saying the European Union is "actively seeking to diversify" its energy sources. "We do not want to replace one dependency with another," he told journalists at a briefing in Brussels on Wednesday.

Similar concerns have been raised by Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency. He recently warned at Davos, Switzerland, that Europe risks "putting all its eggs in one basket" when it comes to energy supply.■