Foreign minister: Alternatives exist to Russian liquefied natural gas

Liquefied natural gas can be purchased from U.S. and Norway instead of Russia, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) on Tuesday, commenting on Germany's increased imports of LNG in 2024. He also pointed out Estonia has stopped using Russian gas since 2022.
The UK newspaper the Financial Times reported on Tuesday that, despite Germany having ceased direct LNG imports from Russia, the state-owned energy company Sefe purchased 58 tanker loads of Russian LNG last year. This is more than six times the amount in 2023.
Reuters news agency reported in mid-January that revenue from oil and gas sales contributed more than a 26 percent increase to Russia's federal budget in 2024. This money is used to fund the war in Ukraine.
Speaking to ERR, the minister said the EU has committed to stop using Russian energy.
"First, let me remind you of what the European Union has already agreed upon: by 2027 at the latest, we will completely end energy imports from Russia. This means full stop. We must adhere to this, as it is a long-term question of Europe's overall security. This is the agreement we have today," Tsahkna said.
"At the EU Foreign Affairs Council yesterday, I also pointed out that many countries claim they cannot give up Russian energy carriers and are forced to rely on them. This is simply not true," he added.
"Estonia has a very strong position here. Let me remind you that until the spring of 2022, Russian gas accounted for approximately 85 percent of Estonia's gas imports. We were almost entirely dependent on Russian gas. But we made the decision to become independent of Russian gas. Immediately after Russia's aggression began, we stopped purchasing Russian gas, and officially sanctioned it starting January 1, 2023. In effect, within a year, we were able to completely disconnect ourselves from Russian gas," the foreign minister said.
Tsahkna highlighted that Estonia began sourcing LNG from the U.S. and Norway instead.
"This is precisely the concrete proposal we have also made and emphasized within the European Union, as well as to the G7 countries. There is a clear alternative to Russian gas and energy," he said.
Tsahkna also pointed out that energy, particularly the export of LNG and other energy carriers, is a central element of U.S. President Donald Trump's foreign and economic policy.
"Trump has also said in relation to Putin that an energy embargo and lowering oil prices are measures he would employ if Putin does not change his objectives. I think all EU member states must make efforts to free themselves from dependency on Russian energy," the minister stated.
Lowering the price of oil by $10 per barrel would directly cost Russia approximately $13 to $15 billion, he said.
"Our message to Germany and all other European countries is that, for the sake of collective security and to stop and weaken Russia's war machine in the future — because Russia will remain an aggressive state — we must cut ourselves off from dependence on Russian energy," Tsahkna said.
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Editor: Aleksander Krjukov, Helen Wright