But the EU, already in hock to Washington for its security, is becoming increasingly reliant on American liquefied natural gas (LNG) as it swaps an energy dependency on Russia for one on the US. Russia’s share of EU gas imports has already dropped from around 45 per cent in 2021 to about 12 per cent in 2025. During the same period, imports of LNG from the US tripled, accounting for 60 per cent of total LNG imports to the EU last month. Europe’s gas imports from Russia were mostly based on long-term contracts with state-controlled energy company Gazprom, making them vulnerable to a decision by the Kremlin to turn off the tap. EU energy commissioner Dan Jørgensen acknowledged Europe’s vulnerability after he announced the phasing out of Russian gas imports, describing as a “clear wake-up call” Trump’s threats to annex Greenland.

Source: The Irish Times February 17, 2026 15:40 UTC