European Gas Supply Faces Turmoil as Ukraine Cuts Off Russian Flows

EU|

The closure of the Ukrainian gas pipeline on January 1, 2025, marks a significant shift in Europe's energy landscape, following Ukraine's decision not to renew its contract with Russian gas giant Gazprom. The pipeline, which has operated for over 50 years, had already seen reduced flows but the complete shutdown now poses pressing challenges for several European nations.

Moldova has emerged as the most affected country, struggling to cope without gas supplies. Authorities had anticipated this development but have not found viable alternatives, leaving citizens in the cold amid winter conditions. The International Energy Agency has urged European partners to assist Moldova in securing essential energy needs.

Countries like Slovakia and Hungary, which previously relied heavily on this pipeline, are seeking alternatives, albeit with less urgency than Moldova. Slovakia now faces increased costs—nearly €180 million in 2025—to secure gas through neighboring routes. Hungary is looking to double its imports of Russian gas via Turkey, adapting to the new reality of relying on the TurkStream pipeline.

The end of gas supplies through Ukraine highlights the divided interests within the European Union, as some member states, like Hungary and Slovakia, maintain close ties with Moscow, while others, such as Poland, have pledged to support Ukraine with electricity exports.

Despite the challenges, analysts suggest that overall gas supply security in Europe remains stable, particularly since the pipeline accounted for less than 5% of the continent's gas needs before the cutoff. However, the cessation of these supplies may lead to rising prices, as the demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports increases, straining global gas markets further.

As Europe navigates this transition, the management of underground gas storage facilities will become crucial in meeting winter demand while preparing for a summer resupply effort.

Weekly Newsletter

Loading...

More from

Europe Registers Hottest March on Record Amid Climate Concerns

Europe experienced its hottest March ever recorded, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, marking a significant rise in global temperatures that has sparked alarms among climate scientists. The month saw areas of the continent facing both extreme dryness and unprecedented rainfall, exacerbating the impacts of climate change. Globally, March 2025 ranked as the second-hottest month on record since the dataset began, remaining 1.6 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial averages, as confirmed by Copernicus. This anomaly extends a trend of heightened temperatures that has persisted since July 2023, defying predictions that a warming El Niño event would subside in 2024. "We are still experiencing extremely high temperatures worldwide. This is an exceptional situation," stated Robert Vautard of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Experts warn that each fraction of a degree of warming amplifies the frequency of extreme weather events, including heatwaves and heavy rainfall. "As climate breakdown progresses, more broken records are only to be expected," said Bill McGuire from University College London, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive action against climate change.
EU

Euclid Space Telescope Unveils Treasure Trove of Galaxies

The European Space Agency (ESA) has released its first data from the Euclid space telescope, launched in July 2023 to investigate dark matter and dark energy. The initial release, dated March 19, includes scans of three regions of the sky, revealing detailed classifications of over 380,000 galaxies, which is just 0.4% of the estimated total for its six-year mission. According to Carole Mundell, ESA's director of science, this data opens new avenues for understanding fundamental questions in modern science. Euclid's goal is to map the large-scale structure of the universe, which could provide insights into the nature of dark matter and dark energy, collectively constituting about 95% of the universe, yet remain undetectable by traditional means. The telescope has already captured images of 26 million galaxies, the farthest of which are located 10.5 billion light-years away. Euclid is set to revisit these areas 30 to 52 times during its mission, enhancing image resolution and data collection capabilities. Valeria Pettorino, the project scientist, anticipates significant discoveries ahead as the mission progresses.
EU

Scientific Breakthrough Could Revolutionize Hydrogen Fuel Production

Researchers at Anemel, a European research organization, have announced a significant advancement in hydrogen fuel production, potentially making it cheaper and more efficient. According to a study published in the journal *Energy & Environmental Science*, the team developed a stable method for splitting water molecules without the need for rare platinum group metals (PGMs), traditionally required as catalysts in electrolysis. Instead, the new catalyst uses more readily available materials, such as nickel and molybdenum, demonstrating high robustness and performance in tests. Officials from Anemel highlighted that this development could enable scalable and cost-effective clean hydrogen production, a crucial step toward replacing fossil fuels. Hydrogen is celebrated for its zero carbon emissions when burned and its abundance as the most plentiful element in the universe. If successfully scaled, this innovation could lead to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future, addressing significant challenges in hydrogen adoption, according to the researchers.
EU
All News ->