Enlarge image
Tanker with liquefied natural gas (archive image): Globally scarce gas supplies
Photo: Denis Pomortsev / picture alliance / Zoonar
According to insiders, the US government has sounded out emergency plans for gas deliveries to Europe with energy companies in the Ukraine conflict with Russia.
This is reported by the Reuters news agency.
According to industry and government circles, representatives of the State Department have spoken to the companies about capacities for higher delivery volumes in the event that Russian gas deliveries are interrupted.
A postponement of maintenance work was also discussed in order to keep gas production high.
However, the companies have explained that a loss of large quantities from Russia would be difficult to replace, referring to the scarce gas supplies worldwide.
It was not initially known which companies had been addressed.
The European Union (EU) obtains around a third of its gas requirements from Russia.
In Germany, the proportion of Russian gas is even around 50 percent.
US sanctions against Russia in the event of a war over Ukraine could affect supplies.
A spokesman for the US National Security Council declined to comment on the talks.
However, he confirmed that contingency planning was underway.
An exploration of the effects of possible measures is common practice.
This shows the US determination to take decisive action.
Russia has massed around 100,000 soldiers on the border with Ukraine.
The West fears an invasion, the government in Moscow denies such plans.
Instead, Russia is about security guarantees.
Among other things, President Vladimir Putin is demanding a commitment from NATO that Ukraine will not be included in the transatlantic military alliance.
Allianz categorically rejects this.
Several rounds of talks in the past week remained fruitless.
As part of diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) will travel to Ukraine for talks on Monday and to Russia on Tuesday.
whale/Reuters