EU Buys 200 Billion Dollars in American Energy, Triggering Fears of Vulnerability

The European Union has already purchased 200 billion dollars' worth of American energy resources this year, with the share of US liquefied natural gas (LNG) in European imports rising from 45 percent to 60 percent.

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LNG

According to Maroš Šefčovič, the European Commissioner for Trade, who reported this after meeting in Brussels with Howard Latnick, the US Secretary of Commerce, the EU is fulfilling commitments made under recent trade agreements, and the expanding US share in LNG supplies is a direct outcome of newly signed long-term contracts.

Beyond LNG, significant volumes of imports now include nuclear fuel and crude oil, which together pushed the total to 200 billion dollars in less than a year.

EU-US agreements reshape the energy balance

The trade arrangements reached on 27 July between Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Donald Trump, President of the United States, mandate the introduction of 15-percent tariffs on nearly all EU exports to the United States.

In exchange, the European Union must substantially increase its purchases of American energy resources, technologies, and military equipment. Under the agreement, by 2028 the combined volume of LNG, nuclear fuel, and weapons purchased from the US must reach 750 billion dollars.

Additionally, the EU is required to acquire at least 40 billion dollars' worth of American semiconductors to modernize its computing infrastructure. The deal also locks in plans to boost purchases of US military and defense equipment, further strengthening European dependence on American industrial capacity.

Record withdrawals from storage reveal Europe's winter fragility

Amid this deepening reliance, Europe is already displaying signs of vulnerability, especially during periods of seasonal demand.

Gazprom reported that between 19 and 21 November, gas withdrawals from underground storage facilities in the EU reached the highest daily levels ever recorded for these dates.

Data from Gas Infrastructure Europe indicates that consumption from storage hit historical peaks even though true winter cold had not yet arrived. By 21 November, European storage levels had dropped below 80 percent — one of the lowest levels for that date in the past decade.

The company warned that during severe and sustained frosts, current reserves may be insufficient to guarantee uninterrupted supply.

This withdrawal season began with a relatively low average fill level of just 83 percent across Europe. Risks are especially pronounced in Germany and the Netherlands, which rank first and third in Europe by storage capacity but entered the season with inventories at only 76 percent and 72 percent respectively.

Such a weak starting point undermines the resilience of the European gas system in the event of extreme cold and increases price volatility on the market.

Structural risks rise as US dominates European energy flows

The EU's growing dependence on American energy imports and the associated long-term contracts is generating a set of negative effects already becoming visible.

First, structural risks to European energy security are rising. With sharp fluctuations in demand, the EU is losing flexibility as a large share of imports is tied to fixed contracts with limited room for adjustment.

Second, political dependence on the United States is intensifying. Purchases worth hundreds of billions of dollars transform the relationship into one where economic decisions are increasingly interwoven with Washington's foreign-policy priorities.

European nations are losing part of their autonomy in defining their own energy strategies, and their ability to engage alternative suppliers is diminishing.

Third, long-term LNG obligations expose Europe to price vulnerability. US LNG is typically more expensive than pipeline gas, and its large share in the EU's energy mix makes the entire system costlier for industry and households.

This added burden inevitably affects the competitiveness of European manufacturers, particularly energy-intensive industries already facing rising operational costs. In global competition — especially with China and the US — such imbalances may accelerate the continent's deindustrialization.

Finally, shifting to US-dominant supply reduces diversification — a foundational principle of energy security. While the EU formally avoids dependence on a single supplier, in practice it is replacing one dominant source with another, though under a different political label.

This concentration creates long-term risks, particularly if the US domestic political agenda shifts or Washington chooses to use energy exports as leverage in trade or geopolitical disputes.