EU won’t reverse russian gas ban or slow down green transition, says energy chief
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-wont-backtrack-on-russian-gas-ban-or-green-transition-says-jorgensen/
Posted by GreenEyeOfADemon
EU won’t reverse russian gas ban or slow down green transition, says energy chief
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-wont-backtrack-on-russian-gas-ban-or-green-transition-says-jorgensen/
Posted by GreenEyeOfADemon
7 Comments
March 24, 2026 4:37 pm CET
By [Elena Giordano](https://www.politico.eu/author/elena-giordano/)
BRUSSELS — The European Union will not backtrack on its ban on Russian fossil fuel imports or slow down its shift to renewables, even as the war in Iran sends energy costs soaring, Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said Tuesday.
“There is no road back to dependency on Russian energy,” Jørgensen said at a panel at [POLITICO’s Competitive Europe Summit](https://www.politico.eu/competitive-europe-summit/). “We should not again ever import as much as one molecule.”
Jørgensen argued Europe has been for “too long” indirectly financing Russia’s war against Ukraine by buying Russian energy. “Russia has blackmailed member states … They have weaponized energy against us,” he said.
His remarks come as a small group of EU leaders push for a rethink of the bloc’s relationship with Russia, which threatens to upend the implementation of the EU’s historic phase-out of Russian gas. The Commission is set to propose a similar ban on oil later this year.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been among the most vocal advocates for revived Russian trade, [calling on](https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/03/09/hungary-demands-eu-lift-sanctions-on-russian-energy-as-prices-spike-amid-iran-war) the EU to suspend sanctions on Moscow, while Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever said the EU ought to negotiate with Russia to eventually “regain access to cheap energy.”
Jørgensen argued Europe is now in a far stronger position than during the 2022 energy crisis, when Russia supplied roughly 45 percent of the bloc’s gas. That dependence has since dropped sharply to around 10 percent.
“We were so vulnerable, and we never want to be in such a vulnerable situation again,” he said.
While acknowledging the political backlash against climate rules and the need for short-term support for households and industry, Jørgensen insisted support for renewables was strong.
“There is not any real discussion in Europe on whether we need more renewables and to move away from this dependency,” he said.
the train of progress has no brakes
What would slowing down a green transition even look like? Conservatives already demand dumb shit, like arguing against private solar panels. And for some reason dislike renewables, no matter how much economic sense they make.
Even the british Tories relented on Wind, once the pound symbols flashed in their eyes and the “Cha-ching!” rang in their ears.
Matter of time until the rest of the ever-yesterday people get it.
I know that nobody wants to hear this, but this is not going to work. Ultimately it is not about energy *prices*, it’s about deliveries. I don’t think most people realize how dire the situation is with regard to supply if the situation with Iran deteriorates.
* If the Strait of Hormuz is closed for months, the global reserves will run dry. That will effect prices on energy and affect availability on helium and fertilizer, causing a global economic depression, but Europe will survive.
* If Saudi pipelines “somehow” go down and the Strait continues to be closed, we’ll see supply disruptions. We literally won’t be able to fuel industrial processes. Plastic and metals will tank hard.
* If Bab el-Mandeb closes, that’s a 80% increase in shipping costs to between Europe and Asia. Bab el-Mandeb is called the “Strait of Tears” for a reason.
Europe needs to choose: either take control of the situation in the Middle East or get used to the idea of dealing with Putin. The latter is far easier, and I bet that’s exactly what European politicians will resort to within a matter of months. Personally I think we should take the initiative in the Middle East and ensure international law is followed. But building solar panels isn’t going to cut it, and grandstanding is cringe as fuck.
If the the nuclear is not included in this green transition then this transition will be like a fairytale. Also the timelines to ban the gas engines needs to be reviewed. The aggressive push with non realistic timelines, ruined a good part of automotive industry and gave an important competitive advantage to China l
If there was one giant battery, renewables could work really well. Renewables are like rain water harvesting at your home. If it rains for 3 days straight, there is only so much water you can save. It could last a while but you are dependent on running water for the most part.
Renewables are part of the solution, but renewables are not the silver bullet.
EU provides more ammunition for right wing populists by prioritizing morals and values over people’s pocketbooks says energy chief