They’re not really dependent on Gazprom. Gas is fungible and can be bought from any producer in the world. Gazprom just provides the cheapest gas. They are free to pay higher prices from other sources, and will undoubtedly do so if they truly fear a Russian invasion. As of now, they are betting that Russian territorial ambitions are confined to Ukraine.
“Gas is fungible and can be bought from any producer in the world.”
The problem is transport.
It takes years to get the infrastructure in place, and LNG tankers are not a solution.
As Germany has learned, even building gas storage is a process that can take a decade or more, due to the inane enviro laws they have saddled themselves with.
That’s very true. They also give in to the greenies on everything. If they had to pay market prices for energy and also had to pay for their defense instead of the subsidy from U.S., they might have to decrease their socialist redistribution policies.
“As of now, they are betting that Russian territorial ambitions are confined to Ukraine.”
I understand Putin has said that “The Ukraine is my last territorial ambition.”