The knock-on effects of the conflict now whipping through the Middle East are awakening ghosts of crises past that shook the European Union. Seven months into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022, the President of the European Commission stood at her podium in the European Parliament and accused Russia of manipulating the EU's energy market. They prefer to flare the gas than to deliver it, proclaimed Ursula von der Leyen as spiralling energy prices hit consumers across the continent. This market is not functioning anymore. This is a war on our energy, a war on our economy, a war on our values and a war on our future, she declared, insisting that Europe was already pivoting away from Russian gas and toward more dependable partners such as the US and Norway.
However, fast forward four years and you find deep energy-linked frustration in the heart of Europe once again. We swore we'd learn. We promised things would change but here we are, a highly frustrated European diplomat told me, focusing on Europe's growing energy shock, triggered by the burning conflict in the Middle East and threatening to dominate a summit of European leaders in Brussels on Thursday.
Instead of concentrating on much-needed long-term plans - about how to make Europe more competitive in this increasingly volatile world, [European] prime ministers and presidents are now in a panic over [energy] prices, worried about angry voters and scrambling for short-term solutions.
The focus of energy policy in the EU has shifted from reliance on Russia to managing a crisis that has escalated due to tensions in the Middle East. The underlying strategy involves a complex interplay of diversifying sources and securing reliable supply chains for energy, amidst soaring prices and political pressures across member states.
With discussions underway about how to navigate these challenges, the EU is faced with the daunting task of implementing policies that ensure both short-term relief for consumers and an overarching strategy for energy independence and sustainability.
However, fast forward four years and you find deep energy-linked frustration in the heart of Europe once again. We swore we'd learn. We promised things would change but here we are, a highly frustrated European diplomat told me, focusing on Europe's growing energy shock, triggered by the burning conflict in the Middle East and threatening to dominate a summit of European leaders in Brussels on Thursday.
Instead of concentrating on much-needed long-term plans - about how to make Europe more competitive in this increasingly volatile world, [European] prime ministers and presidents are now in a panic over [energy] prices, worried about angry voters and scrambling for short-term solutions.
The focus of energy policy in the EU has shifted from reliance on Russia to managing a crisis that has escalated due to tensions in the Middle East. The underlying strategy involves a complex interplay of diversifying sources and securing reliable supply chains for energy, amidst soaring prices and political pressures across member states.
With discussions underway about how to navigate these challenges, the EU is faced with the daunting task of implementing policies that ensure both short-term relief for consumers and an overarching strategy for energy independence and sustainability.
