Gas Crisis Fuels Tyrants and Wars as Spain Keeps Buying Russian Fuel—15% of Supply Still Flows

Gas Crisis Fuels Tyrants and Wars as Spain Keeps Buying Russian Fuel—15% of Supply Still Flows

Spain's continued reliance on Russian gas and the UK's approval of a new North Sea field show how fossil fuel dependence is funding conflicts and delaying the renewable transition.

· 2 min read ·
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Spain did not buy liquefied natural gas from Russia in September—the first time in five years—but the milestone also shows how hard it is to turn principles into action [269222]. So far in 2026, 15% of Spain's natural gas has come from Russia, and during the four and a half years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Spain has remained one of Europe's main entry points for natural gas [269222]. In the first half of this year, Spanish purchases of Russian gas jumped amid the war in the Middle East [269222].

The European Union has struggled to act as one, even on this widely agreed issue. Only this year have governments been able to approve a definitive ban on gas purchases, which will take effect in 2027 [269222]. In the meantime, this means more gas bought from the United States, whose current misguided decisions expose the effects of over-dependence on a traditional ally [269222]. It also highlights a major structural problem for world economies: reliance on the most polluting fuels, produced in the most unstable regions of the planet [269222].

Spain is in a privileged position thanks to its decades-long push for renewable energy, but other countries are worse off [269222]. The British government has just authorized gas extraction at an overexploited North Sea field, which courts had blocked and which former Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer had promised to abandon [269222][267579]. Current Prime Minister Andy Burnham says his approach is "pragmatic" while the UK invests in renewables [269222]. Operations at the controversial gas field are expected to begin within weeks [267579].

Dependence on gas and oil feeds the world's worst tyrants and funds their wars [269222]. It exposes economies to price swings that make daily life harder and deepen public discontent, while driving climate chaos with devastating consequences visible across Europe [269222]. The leadership and money needed to move away from this dependence require international political unity that does not currently exist. The price we are paying is counted in lives [269222].

The energy crisis will likely continue into 2027, according to Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Speaking ahead of COP31, Birol proposed a global push toward electrification, aiming to raise electricity's share of worldwide energy use to 35% by 2035 [269145]. According to Birol, this shift would strengthen energy security and cut emissions [269145].

Sources

Gas Dependence Funds Tyrants and Wars, Spain's Reliance on Russia Continues #269222UK approves controversial gas field as energy prices soar #267579Energy Crisis to Last Until 2027? IEA Chief Warns #269145

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