White House Says More Work to Do to Increase Gas Supply to Europe Ahead of Winter

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Biden administration understands there is more work to do to increase natural gas supply to Europe ahead of the winter, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Friday.

"We know we have more work to do, and we'll keep looking for ways to increase gas stockpiles in Europe coupled with efforts to reduce Europe's demand for natural gas through energy efficiency and clean energy deployment," Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing.

Global liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Europe have risen by 84% compared to 2021, Jean-Pierre noted. Since March, global LNG exports to Europe have increased by 20 billion cubic meters compared to last year, she added.

The United States' exports of LNG to Europe has nearly tripled, Jean-Pierre said.

Since 2021, energy prices in Europe have been growing as part of a global trend. After the beginning of Russia's operation in Ukraine and the adoption of several packages of sanctions against Moscow in the West, fuel prices have accelerated the growth, pushing many European governments to resort to contingency measures.

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said earlier in the day that Russia is ready to provide enough gas supply to Europe, but those deliveries could be disrupted if the European Union refuses to supply repaired turbines for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline or to launch Nord Stream 2, and if they prohibit payments.