EuroWire, BRUSSELS: The European Union is looking to increase liquefied natural gas supplies from Qatar, Canada and North African countries as senior officials warn that Europe’s growing reliance on U.S. LNG has become a vulnerability in the bloc’s energy mix. EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said this week that recent tensions involving Greenland underlined the need for Europe to strengthen energy security and avoid overdependence on external suppliers. Jorgensen said the United States now provides about 57% of the EU’s LNG and around 27% of its total gas supply.
The EU’s import structure has shifted sharply since Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 disrupted long standing pipeline flows. Jorgorgensen said Russia previously supplied about 40% of the EU’s gas, but its share has fallen to about 13% as Europe replaced volumes with LNG and alternative pipeline supplies.
European Commission Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera also warned that the EU is becoming increasingly dependent on LNG imports from the United States. Ribera said U.S. LNG accounted for about 58% of the EU’s total LNG imports in 2025, around four times the level seen in 2021, as LNG helped cover the loss of Russian deliveries.
Supply mix and storage
The supply debate comes as Europe draws down gas inventories during winter. Industry data tracked by Gas Infrastructure Europe showed EU storage at about 44% capacity on Jan. 29, the lowest winter level since 2022 and below a 10 year average of roughly 58%, underscoring how quickly stocks can tighten during periods of higher demand.
LNG has become a central pillar of Europe’s supply balance. Market data cited by energy market analysis in late January showed the EU imported a record 175 billion cubic meters of LNG in 2025, reflecting sustained demand for seaborne cargoes and the expansion of regasification capacity across several member states.
Diversification efforts
Canada is among the suppliers now drawing increased attention in Brussels. Canada shipped its first ever large scale LNG export cargo from the Pacific coast on June 30, 2025, from the LNG Canada facility in Kitimat, British Columbia, marking the start of operations at the country’s first major LNG export terminal and opening a new route for Canadian gas to global markets.
Qatar is already a major supplier to Europe and one of the world’s largest LNG exporters, and EU officials have signaled interest in securing additional volumes alongside supplies from North African producers. The discussions are taking place alongside EU efforts to expand renewable generation and develop renewable hydrogen, which officials have repeatedly cited as priorities for reducing exposure to imported fossil fuels.