[ad_1]
BRUSSELS (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday is predicted to announce elevated shipments of liquefied pure gasoline to Europe, a part of a long-term initiative to wean the continent off Russian vitality after the invasion of Ukraine.
He plans to debate the difficulty with Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Union’s government arm, shortly earlier than leaving for Poland, the ultimate leg of his four-day journey.
Earlier this week, Von der Leyen stated “we’re aiming at having a dedication for added provides for the following two winters.” And Jake Sullivan, Biden’s nationwide safety adviser, not too long ago instructed reporters that the administration desires to rapidly “surge” gasoline to Europe.
Russian vitality is a key supply of revenue and political leverage for Moscow. Virtually 40% of the European Union’s pure gasoline comes from Russia to warmth properties, generate electrical energy and energy business.
After leaving Brussels, Biden travels to Rzeszów in Poland, the place U.S. troops are primarily based roughly an hour’s drive from the Ukrainian border. He’ll get a briefing on the humanitarian response to the refugees streaming out of Ukraine and people nonetheless struggling contained in the nation. And Biden will meet with U.S. service members from the 82nd Airborne Division, who serve alongside Polish troops.
Biden is then anticipated to proceed on to Warsaw, the place he’ll meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda on Saturday.
Earlier than returning to Washington, the White Home stated, Biden will give an deal with “on the united efforts of the free world to help the folks of Ukraine, maintain Russia accountable for its brutal warfare, and defend a future that’s rooted in democratic ideas.”
Whereas in Brussels, Biden participated in a trio of summits hosted by NATO, the Group of Seven industrialized nations and the European Union, all on Thursday. The extraordinary sequence of conferences displays heightened considerations concerning the warfare in Ukraine, which has entered its second month.
Though Ukraine has resisted the Russian invasion rather more efficiently than initially anticipated, the battle has develop into a grueling and bloody affair, with 1000’s of casualties on both sides and hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing the nation.
Western leaders are additionally involved that Russian President Vladimir Putin might use chemical and even nuclear weapons to regain momentum within the warfare.
Getting extra liquefied pure gasoline to Europe may very well be tough, regardless that the U.S. has been dramatically growing its exports in recent times. Many export amenities are already working at capability, and most new terminals are nonetheless solely within the planning levels.
Most U.S. shipments already go to Europe, based on the Heart for Liquefied Pure Fuel, an business lobbying group. Though a lot of the provision is already contracted out to consumers, there’s nonetheless alternatives to shift its vacation spot.
“The U.S. is in a novel place as a result of it has versatile LNG that may be rerouted to Europe or to Asia, relying on who’s prepared to pay that worth,” stated Emily McClain, gasoline markets analyst at Rystad.
Even when the U.S. can ship extra gasoline to Europe, the continent could wrestle to obtain it. Import terminals are positioned in coastal areas, the place there are fewer pipeline connections for distributing it.
Even when all Europe’s amenities have been working at capability, the quantity of gasoline would seemingly be solely about two-thirds of what Russia delivers by pipelines.
___
Bussewitz reported from New York.
[ad_2]
Source link