A new study published today from the Ukrainian climate campaign group Razom We Stand has found that the European Union has all the tools in place to cut its remaining reliance on Russian gas, but leadership and political will are urgently needed.
The report, titled “Getting Rid of Russian Gas Dependency in EU Member States: A Case-by-Case Approach,” provides a country-by-country analysis showing that the transition is not just possible — it’s already underway in many places. What’s missing is the political courage to finish the job.
Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Executive Director of Razom We Stand, said: “Europe finally has the technology and the knowledge to cut ties with Russian gas. What it lacks is the political determination to act. Russian gas revenues are still fuelling destruction and death in Ukraine, even as European leaders pledge support for our freedom. Cutting dependence on Russian fossil fuels is a matter of peace and security for Ukraine and all of Europe. With news of the RePower EU roadmap set to come in the coming days, now, more than ever, we need stronger leadership to finish the energy transition and dismantle the economic foundations of Putin’s war machine.”
Report findings:
- Germany: gas consumption increased to 844 TWh in 2024, a 3.5% increase compared to 811.5 TWh in 2023.
- France: cut its gas consumption by 5.5% in 2024, including a 56% drop in demand from gas-fired power plants, showing an accelerated shift away from fossil fuel generation.
- Belgium: gas use hit a 15-year low at 149 TWh, prompted by falling power sector demand.
- Spain: gas consumption dropped 4.2%, due to reduced demand for power generation, despite being one of Europe’s largest LNG importers.
- Italy: renewable energy share leapt to 40.8%, up from 37.9% in 2023.
- Greece: gas consumption surged by 30%, driven by a sharp rise in demand from the power sector. This underlines the need for coordinated EU-wide action.
The report makes the case that Europe already has everything it needs—the technology, the tools, and the policies—to break free from Russian LNG. Improvements in energy efficiency, scaling up renewables, switching heating and industry over to electricity, and smarter energy use are all critical steps. But despite this, many EU countries continue to drag their feet and prolong the process, to the detriment of the innocent people of Ukraine.
The study outlines three under-leveraged strategies that can dramatically reduce EU gas dependency:
- Scaling up energy efficiency across residential, industrial, and power sectors.
- Accelerating the switch from fossil-based heating to electrified alternatives, established well before Russia’s full-scale invasion, but still underperformed by many member states, including major ones like Germany, Spain, Italy and Austria.
- Strengthening dynamic electricity pricing to cut peak-time gas reliance.
Razom We Stand calls on European and national decision-makers to accelerate action ahead of the 6th May announcement on the REPowerEU Russian fossil fuel phaseout roadmap. With reports of Russian gas falling to 18% from around 45% in 2021 and EU Commission president Von der Leyen saying last week, “there is still more to be done,” ending reliance on Russian gas is clearly achievable and crucial for a stable, peaceful, and climate-safe future.
ENDS
You can view the full report here.
Razom We Stand is a Ukraine-based campaign group active internationally. It calls for a total and permanent embargo on Russian fossil fuels and an immediate end to all investment in Russian oil and gas companies by phasing out fossil fuels globally.
Svitlana Romanko has appeared in the top-tier international press, including Der Spiegel, Le Monde, The Guardian, Bloomberg, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Newsweek, Politico, The Hill, Rolling Stone, Financial Times and more.
