Europe’s energy sanctions against Russia have lost their force. Can Poland cheer them on again? – POLITICAL

A possible workaround would be to block new joint projects with Rosatom and thus force a long-term move away from the Russian nuclear industry. Earlier this month, two diplomats with knowledge of the backroom talks leading up to Poland’s presidency told POLITICO that the compromise was seen as a way to tighten the noose without Hungary having to veto it.

“Russia is combining efforts to become an indispensable part of the nuclear sector, just as it did previously in oil and gas,” an envoy said. However, even these relaxed restrictions could face resistance from Hungary.

Gas game

The return of Donald Trump to the White House also brings new challenges and opportunities for Poles. While Trump has vowed to broker a deal to end the war in Ukraine, he has also pledged to boost America’s LNG exports to Europe, with “drill, baby, drill” becoming a campaign rallying cry.

To avoid a trade war with Washington, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU could turn to the Trump administration to end its dependence on Moscow for gas.

“Why not replace it with American LNG, which is cheaper for us and lowers our energy prices? It is something where we can enter into a discussion, even if it is about our trade deficit,” she said at a summit in Budapest last month.

While specific restrictions on imports of LNG for domestic use have never been proposed and Hungary would immediately veto them, increasing gas production in the US could create a market-based incentive to stop purchases from Moscow.

And that could be bad news for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who relies on buying fossil fuels from Europe to finance his war against Ukraine.

Suzanne Lynch and Zia Weise reported from Baku, Azerbaijan.