EU planning to reduce Russian gas imports to 40-45 bcm in 2023

BRUSSELS. Nov 1 (Interfax) - The European Union is planning to reduce imports of Russian gas to 40-45 billion cubic meters in 2023 as part of reducing its energy dependence on Russia, according to a statement issued following a meeting of the EU-United States Task Force on Energy Security.

"The EU drastically reduced its dependence on Russian fossil fuels, including by phasing out coal imports, reducing oil imports by 90%, and reducing gas imports from 155 billion cubic meters in 2021 to around 80 bcm in 2022 and to an estimated 40 to 45 bcm in 2023," the statement released by the European Commission on Wednesday following Tuesday's meeting said.

The EU has taken measures to accelerate the transition to clean energy, diversify supplies and save energy, it said.

The discussion at the meeting was focused on "the diversification of Europe's natural gas supply sources and the growing liquefied natural gas trade between the United States and Europe, with the U.S. now by far the largest supplier of LNG to Europe," the statement said.