Europe Swaps Russian Gas Dependence for U.S. LNG Reliance as Middle East Turmoil Tightens Squeeze

Europe’s rush to quit Russian pipeline gas has created a new energy vulnerability: growing dependence on U.S. liquefied natural gas, as war-linked supply disruptions in the Middle East push the continent deeper into reliance on seaborne fuel.

Europe is on track to source roughly two-thirds of its LNG imports from the United States in 2026, according to new data from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), up from 63% in the first quarter and from 57% a year earlier. U.S. LNG imports into Europe have more than tripled since 2021, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered a scramble