This article reconsiders the myth of cheap Russian gas, showing that beyond the apparent price advantage, the continent paid a high price in terms of strategic exposure, political leverage, and security risks. According to Reuters, the average price for Russian gas imports exceeded €40 per megawatt-hour in 2021 and shot well above €100/MWh in early 2022, closely tracking or even surpassing prices paid for LNG cargoes from the U.S. and Qatar. Gas supply disruptions in 2006, 2009, and again in 2021 foreshadowed how Moscow could and would use energy as leverage, pressuring Ukraine and sending signals to Brussels that resistance would come at a price.
Author: Leon Stille
Published at: 2025-06-18 22:00:00
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