Russia has stated that the European Union (EU) is experiencing\ndifficulties in filling its underground natural gas storage facilities\namidst the Middle East crisis and rapid price increases. This is based\non a report from the Russian state-owned gas company, Gazprom, citing\nthe Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) association, as reported by Russia\nToday on Monday, 18 May 2026.<\/p>\n
According to Gazprom, the European Union has been filling its\nunderground natural gas storage facilities at the lowest rate in history\nfor three consecutive days this week. The EU is currently grappling with\nthe impacts of US-Israel attacks on Iran, which have led to global\nenergy shortages and price surges. This situation is particularly linked\nto the deadlock in the Strait of Hormuz, which remains disrupted despite\na fragile ceasefire that came into effect in early April 2026.<\/p>\n
The reduction in maritime traffic has severely limited energy\nsupplies, as this waterway handled approximately 20 per cent of global\nliquefied natural gas (LNG) trade before the conflict, primarily\ndestined for European and Asian markets. This week, GIE recorded the\nlowest gas storage injection rates in European history for three days.\nAccording to the Russian oil and gas giant, unusual cold weather in\nEurope has also contributed to these record lows.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial\nAnalysis (IEEFA) reported a sharp surge in Russian LNG imports to the\nEU. The industry think tank reported that shipments, which the bloc had\nrepeatedly promised to phase out, surged by approximately 16 per cent in\nthe first quarter of 2026. According to IEEFA, Belgium, France, and\nSpain accounted for the majority of these imports. Although the EU aims\nto eliminate Russian fossil fuels by 2027, Russia remains its\nsecond-largest LNG supplier, the institute noted. Hostilities in the\nMiddle East have also hindered the EU\u2019s efforts to diversify imports,\nleaving the bloc increasingly dependent on LNG supplies from the United\nStates and Russia.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/russia-european-union-struggling-1780905042", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }