EU Eyes US LNG Amid Trump's Election Win

Following Donald Trump's 2024 presidential election victory, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested that the EU could replace Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports with cheaper American LNG to reduce energy costs and mitigate trade tensions with the U.S. This strategy appears inspired by a previous truce engineered by her predecessor Jean-Claude Juncker during Trump's first term, which involved increasing U.S. imports to avoid tariffs. Currently, the U.S. accounts for about 48% of the EU's LNG imports. Experts note that such discussions around LNG are largely political, as the EU itself does not directly purchase LNG, but rather individual companies do. The EU's energy strategy under Trump's administration will focus on engagement, negotiations, and exploring mutual interests.