LNG carrier Catalunya SpiritWASHINGTON, Jan 28The US has sent more than 20 gas tankers to Europe as an alternative to Russian fuel, the Wall Street Journal writes. According to the publication, officials in Washington and Brussels are now seeking to find a short-term replacement for Moscow's exports. «More than 20 tankers are heading from the US to Europe,» — according to the Wall Street Journal. The article notes that according to the analytical company Vortexa, 33 more ships may follow the same course. According to the head of the company, Clay Seagle, «they will cover only a part» of Russian supplies. The newspaper, citing people familiar with it, indicates that representatives of the administration of US President Joe Biden over the past few days have made video calls with officials around the world, trying to convince buyers in South Korea , Japan and other countries that have already paid for their shipments to allow the US to redirect them to Europe. It is also reported that Brussels officials plan to reach an agreement with Qatar and Azerbaijan.January 26, 17:26InfographicHow much gas is left in European storagesInfographicViewEarlier media reported that the United States had held talks with major gas suppliers in North Africa, the Middle East, Asia and domestically about the readiness to «temporarily increase» gas production for Europe.A senior official of the US administration told reporters that such measures are necessary in the event of a halt to Russian transit through Ukraine, since Washington considers interruptions in exports on other routes a less likely scenario. He expressed confidence that the United States will be able to meet the needs of Europe through alternative sources during the rest of spring and winter. The Kremlin stated that Russia has always impeccably fulfilled its contractual obligations for gas supplies to Europe, and has never given reason to doubt its reliability.
Russia reminds EU of mutual benefit from Russian gasIn recent months, relations between Russia and the West have become even more tense. Washington and Brussels accuse Moscow of preparing an “invasion” of Ukraine and, against this background, are strengthening their presence in Eastern Europe. Moscow rejects all claims and reminds that Kiev does not comply with the Minsk agreements: the Ukrainian authorities have concentrated half of the army’s personnel near the line of contact and are firing at militias from banned weapons. The Kremlin and the Foreign Ministry have repeatedly indicated that the goal of the “aggression” stuffing is to build up a foreign group near the Russian borders. They also explained that the main reason for the escalation is the actions of the United States and NATO, which are «pumping» Ukraine with weapons, thereby pushing it towards military adventures. >Specialist calculates how much gas Europe will need to keep warm
