Europe Must End Discounted Russian Gas
Gasworld has published an article featuring insights from James O’Brien, Head of LNG on the issue of discounted Russian gas still entering European markets.
In an article by Gasworld, James O’Brien, Head of LNG, highlights that Europe cannot achieve true energy independence while discounted Russian gas continues to enter its markets through indirect routes. O’Brien stresses that these discounted flows may appear attractive in the short term, but they ultimately:
• Distort fair market competition
• Undermine investment in alternative and more secure supply routes such as LNG
• Delay the diversification that Europe urgently requires
The article further underlines that the EU’s “Fit for 55” package, fully adopted in May 2024, was designed to strengthen resilience and accelerate emissions reduction. Yet, as O’Brien points out, the credibility of this framework risks being compromised if Russian gas continues to undercut LNG and other diversified supply options.
He calls for bold and coordinated action at the EU level: an outright ban on Russian gas. According to O’Brien, this step is not symbolic, but essential to ensuring Europe’s energy security, competitiveness, and transition trajectory.
At D.TRADING, LNG is seen as a critical bridge that secures Europe’s energy system today while enabling the clean transition of tomorrow. But, O’Brien emphasizes, for this bridge to hold, “policy must align with ambition.”
