The 27 EU leaders are struggling for unity in the presence of US President Biden after a month of war in Ukraine. But it is crumbling – above all in the energy issue.
Exactly one month after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the 27 heads of state and government met in Brussels for a summit meeting, which is primarily about one thing: the hitherto fairly stable unity of the West vis-à-vis Vladimir Putin’s regime defend. The American President, Joe Biden, joins the 27 for 90 minutes, and he has a billion dollars in financial aid for the care of Ukrainian refugees in Europe and a promise in his suitcase to direct as many deliveries of American liquid gas to Europe as possible.
But the mantra-like invoked unity of the Europeans shows more cracks every day. This is particularly acute when it comes to the topic of cutting off the cord from Russian energy sources, above all natural gas, with which American liquid gas is intended to help in the short term, as is clearly illustrated. Externally, all 27 emphasize that they are striving for this goal so that they can no longer be blackmailed by the Kremlin. But there will be no boycott of Russian energy sources in the foreseeable future. The Federal Chancellors of Austria and Germany ruled that out in fairly clear terms even before the summit.