US Choke on Europe's Fuel

Europe traded Russian pipelines for American tankers, and now the bill is coming due. The EU and UK are locked into a new kind of stranglehold, reliant on US Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) just as Donald Trump tightens his grip on global energy.

• The New Dependency: Since the Ukraine war, Europe scrambled to ditch Russian gas. The result? US LNG imports to the European Economic Area (EEA) spiked 485% since 2019, now accounting for 59% of the total. The UK is in the same boat, with 68% of its LNG coming from across the Atlantic.
• Energy as a Weapon: Trump’s 2025 national security strategy doesn’t mince words—energy dominance is a tool to "project power." He’s already threatening tariffs on allies to force deals, proving that US gas isn’t just a commodity; it’s political leverage.
• The Price of Vulnerability: Europe is walking a tightrope with gas reserves at dangerous lows. A cold winter combined with Trump’s trade wars could send bills skyrocketing and spark a full-blown energy crisis.
• No Way Out: Brussels knows the score. There’s talk of breaking trade deals, but the hard truth is there’s no immediate alternative to US gas. The only long-term escape route is a rapid shift to renewables, but for now, Europe is paying the price for swapping one master for another.

Numbers bite hard. A summary.

• US LNG to European Economic Area: up 61% in 2025.
• That's 485% over 2019 levels.
• US gas now 59% of EU LNG imports.
• Russia pipeline gas: 60% in 2019. Down to 8% now.
• UK mirrors the trap. 50% domestic gas in 2024. 33% from EEA. Rest LNG. US ships 68% of that.

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