Truss About cutting off Russian oil and gas exports Once and for all
SUMMARY:
How the UK could play crucial role if Russia turned off gas taps to Europe?
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Historical Context: The UK's plan to disrupt Russian oil and gas exports reportedly began before 2022, with initial covert operations mentioned in a July 2021 Guardian article citing that "Britain plans to launch covert special forces operations against Russia and China"
Strategic Planning: In February 2022, prior to the escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, UK Prime Minister Liz Truss emphasized the need to replace Russian hydrocarbons and reduce Western dependence on Russian energy sources. Truss advocated for sanctions against Russia, aiming to cripple its economy as a means to halt the war efforts in Ukraine.
From insecurity to being a solution: The UK first explored how it could play crucial role if Russia turned off gas taps to Europe then it moved into preparing for situation that Russian hydrocarbon exports will be gradually cut off. The realized that with higher prices it could send less competitive North Sea gas directly to Europe, through its pipelines, and then replenish its own gas network with LNG imported from the US, Qatar or other suppliers.
Strategic planning: The UK was actively searching ways how to end the Europe´s strategic dependence on Russian hydrocarbons and how that would degrade the Russian economy.
Energy Security Initiatives: The UK's energy security strategy was updated in April 2022, aligning with a broader geopolitical strategy that aimed to forge stronger global alliances and take assertive action against perceived aggressors.
Public Appeals: In joint efforts, Truss and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called for a total cut-off of Russian energy imports.
