IEA: EU can greatly reduce dependence on gas

Europe could reduce its imports of Russian gas by more than a third within a year, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The German government should even prepare for a complete trade freeze with Russia, said Jens Südekum, a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the German Ministry of Economics. The prices for oil and gas would then rise again sensitively. Christian Ehler (EPP), a member of the European Parliament, also sees an „economic war“ coming. „It is very realistic that not only we will reduce consumption from Russia, but that Russia will stop supplying gas to Europe,“ Ehler warned the Parliament’s Industry Committee.