Congress calls for ending US military dependence on Russian energy
Worried by Europe’s growing reliance on Russian natural oil and gas, US lawmakers have called upon the administration of President Donald Trump to find alternative sources of power for American military bases across European countries.
According to data by the Defense Logistics Agency, Russia provides 40 percent of the oil consumed by military sites in Germany.
These sites include the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, for example, which serves as the US Air Force’s headquarters in Europe and is also considered a major North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) hub.
This has prompted a bipartisan group of US lawmakers, led by Republican Senator Pat Toomey and his Democratic colleague Bob Casey, to ask the Department of Defense to use less Russian energy and push for sanctions on new pipelines that increase Europe’s dependency.
“US military bases in Europe currently utilize significant amounts of Russian-sourced energy, making them vulnerable to intentional supply disruptions by the Russian government. The reliance also undercuts US efforts to reassure allies and deter Russian aggression in Europe,” read the letter, signed last week by Toomey, Casey, and 11 other senators.
“We anticipate the Russian Federation will continue to use energy - electricity, natural gas, oil, and refined oil products - as a political weapon in Europe. Therefore, the United States must prepare to complete its various missions and deter any threats to our forces or allies irrespective of, or in opposition to, hostile Russian actions,” added the Senators.
The lawmakers supported direct calls by Trump to stop the Nord Stream 2 project, which he says is one of the many signs that Europe is a “captive” of Moscow.
The $11 billion pipeline directly connects Germany with Russia, saying a flurry of oil and gas deals had given Moscow far too much influence over Europe’s largest economy.
Constance Douris, Vice President of the Lexington Institute, suggests that US bases needed microgrids capable of operating off the main grid to ensure reliable electricity in case the Russian energy flow was disrupted for any reason.
He even named electric vehicles (EVs) whose batteries can be used to power homes as possible replacements.
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