BRUSSELS, Belgium: The European Union is ramping up efforts to secure alternative gas supplies and accelerate its shift to renewable energy as it seeks to eliminate reliance on Russian fossil fuels by 2027.

EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen emphasized the need to move away from Russian energy sources, particularly as the bloc continues to import Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) despite drastically reducing pipeline deliveries following Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

"Instead of using taxpayers' money, citizens' money, to pay for gas where the revenue goes into Putin's war chest, we need to make sure that we produce our own energy," Jorgensen said in a joint media interview, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Jorgensen outlined plans to speed up renewable energy projects by streamlining permit regulations while also securing additional gas supplies from non-Russian sources.

"There will still be the need for gas, and there we will have to find other sources than Russia, and that can also mean bigger import from the U.S.," he said.

The EU is also preparing measures to prevent speculative trading from causing further price volatility in the energy market. European gas prices recently spiked to their highest levels in two years, increasing concerns over affordability.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump warned the EU that it could face trade tariffs unless it increased imports of American oil and gas.

Although the European Commission does not directly purchase gas, draft documents leaked earlier this week show that it has been exploring ways to secure long-term contracts with LNG suppliers while also considering investments in LNG export infrastructure abroad.

Under EU climate laws, gas contracts must end by 2049 to align with the bloc's goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

While Jorgensen declined to comment on the leaked documents, he confirmed that the Commission is working on financial tools to help decouple retail electricity prices from the cost of gas. Currently, EU electricity market rules mean that gas prices continue to dictate the cost of power despite the rapid expansion of renewable energy.

The Commission is expected to formally unveil its updated energy plans next week.