'It's Going to Hurt': US Fears Europe's Anti-Russia Resolve Will Waver Over Soaring Energy Prices

Gas and electricity prices skyrocketed in Europe after one of the Russian pipelines pumping gas to Europe came to a full stop due to an inability to conduct maintenance. That inability was prompted by the western anti-Russia sanctions, Moscow said.

The White House is growing increasingly concerned by the prospect of European allies changing their stance on Russia and support for Ukraine amid public discontent with soaring electricity prices this winter, CNN reported citing anonymous sources.

Washington reportedly believes that Russia "weaponized" its gas supplies to bend the European states to its will, although Moscow has repeatedly pointed out that anti-Russian sanctions impeded and disrupted the work of its main gas pipeline to Europe – Nord Stream 1.

As part of its concerns, the White House reportedly closely monitored recent protests in the Czech Republic that attracted at least 70,000 to the capital's streets.

The Czechs were demanding that the government abandon its anti-Russian approach, sign a bilateral agreement with Moscow and deal with soaring inflation that has hit 10%. Prague dismissed the protesters as a pro-Russian mob and ignored their demands.

Views are split within the White House regarding the current resolve of the European countries to continue their anti-Russian campaign, according to CNN sources. Some officials insist that the dropping Russian gas exports only strengthen their resolve and boosts the hostility of Europeans towards Moscow. Others claim that the risk that Europeans will backpedal on the strategy of isolating Russia is "real."

'All Hands on Deck' in Search of Alternatives

Regardless of the split in opinions, President Joe Biden has reportedly made it the administration's priority to prevent the Europeans from changing their tune on the policy towards Russia, CNN sources claimed. According to them, the White House spared no resources to achieve this, including sending US LNG gas to Europe and negotiating extra supplies from elsewhere.

"It's playing into all of our diplomatic engagements. We understand the magnitude. It's all hands on deck," one anonymous official said.

US officials have been reportedly joining their EU counterparts in scrambling to negotiate supplies of energy resources from around the globe to Europe.

CNN also claims that Washington was involved in identifying and deploying "options and technology to increase efficiency and reduce usage" of energy in Europe. Earlier, several countries, including Germany, presented plans according to which some industries might be shut down in winter and heating standards in European houses might be lowered to stretch gas reserves until the end of the heating period. Electricity rationing was also not ruled out.

However, this might not be enough, several US and western officials told CNN anonymously. Existing gas reserves in Europe are presumed to be enough to weather a warm winter without any rationing. However, should the winter be tougher, the situation might turn into an "economic calamity", sources have indicated.

"It's going to hurt for Europe. Let's see how harsh the winter is," once of CNN's sources summed up.