{"url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c24de9e97vno","title":"Europe's energy ghosts return amid Middle East crisis","domain":"bbc.co.uk","imageUrl":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/8936842/pexels-photo-8936842.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&h=650&w=940","pexelsSearchTerm":"Europe gas crisis","category":"World","language":"en","slug":"cf2e5a53","id":"cf2e5a53-9f72-40ef-9b80-a9c7e00645a0","description":"Middle East conflict revives Europe's energy crisis akin to 2022 Russia-Ukraine fallout, with gas prices soaring amid Strait of Hormuz blockade.","summary":"## TL;DR\n- Middle East conflict revives Europe's energy crisis akin to 2022 Russia-Ukraine fallout, with gas prices soaring amid Strait of Hormuz blockade.\n- EU slashed Russian energy imports to **2%** for oil and plans zero gas by next year, now relying on US (**57%** LNG) and Norway.\n- Persistent dependencies expose Europe to global volatility, US leverage, and short-term fixes over long-term security.\n\n## The story at a glance\nA new Middle East energy shock from strikes and the Strait of Hormuz blockade is forcing EU leaders into crisis mode at a Brussels summit, echoing frustrations from Russia's 2022 Ukraine invasion. Key figures include Ursula von der Leyen, who pivoted Europe from Russia but signed a **$750bn** US energy deal under Trump pressure, and anonymous diplomats decrying repeated vulnerabilities. This is reported now amid live price surges and summit talks on  gas prices, inflation, and voters. Europe had aimed for diversification post-Ukraine but remains exposed.\n\n## Key points\n- In 2022, Russia supplied **55%** of Germany's gas; now EU oil from Russia is **2%** (to Hungary/Slovakia only), with all Russian gas imports ending next year.\n- US provides **57%** of EU LNG imports (**96%** for Germany); Norway supplies a third of EU gas and half of UK's, but operates near capacity.\n- Trump threatened **30%** tariffs, leading von der Leyen to commit **$750bn** over three years to US oil, LNG, nuclear; EU got zero tariffs on US imports in exchange for reduced **15%** threat.\n- Strait of Hormuz blocked since **28 February** Israel-US attacks on Iran, spiking oil **8%** and European gas **20%** by **2 March** due to global market effects.\n- EU vulnerable to US \"wildcards\" like Trump redirecting LNG domestically or natural disasters; Norway urges reversing Arctic oil/gas bans amid Russian expansion.\n- Summit focuses on short-term fixes amid fears of inflation, refugees, and populist backlash, sidelining long-term competitiveness plans.\n\n## Details and context\nEurope's 2022 response to Russia's Ukraine invasion was swift: rapid shift to LNG from pipeline gas, government bill aid in places like Italy/UK post-Covid, and a \"diversification\" push. Yet removing Russia just swapped one dependency for others, leaving the continent as world's top LNG importer exposed to Gulf disruptions despite low direct Middle East buys.\n\nThe **$750bn** US deal, signed at Trump's Turnberry resort, is debated in European Parliament; its scale may exceed feasible EU demand or US supply. Analyst Dan Marks from Rusi notes Europe can outbid others short-term but faces cost hikes harming competitiveness; suggests stockpiles and demand management.\n\nNorway lobbies against EU's Arctic fossil fuel phase-out, warning it cedes ground to Russia. German Chancellor Merz stayed silent as Trump threatened Spain, likely due to LNG reliance.\n\n## Key quotes\n- \"We swore we'd learn. We promised things would change but here we are,\" *a highly frustrated European diplomat* said.\n- \"This choice between Russian energy and global market volatility is a very bad choice for Europe,\" *Dan Marks, Rusi energy security specialist*, told the author.\n- \"It's a layering of risk. There are no easy answers here,\" *Marks* concluded.\n\n## Why it matters\nRepeated energy shocks undermine Europe's economic stability and political unity in a volatile world. Consumers face higher bills, industries like Germany's chemicals/cars lose edge, and leaders risk voter backlash fueling populists. Watch EU summit outcomes, US LNG reliability under Trump, and Hormuz reopening, though crisis duration remains unclear.","hashtags":["#energy","#crisis","#eu","#middle","#east","#trump"],"sources":[{"url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c24de9e97vno","title":"Original article"}],"viewCount":2,"publishedAt":"2026-04-07T12:43:03.468Z"}