Very dependent on Russian gas, Italy dragged its feet before resolving to impose harsh sanctions on Russia, but is now, like the other members of the European Union, on the blacklist of countries judged "hostile" by Moscow.

Like Germany, the other major European economy which is reluctant to wean itself overnight from Russian gas, Italy would take a dim view of a European embargo on Russian hydrocarbons, similar to that announced on Tuesday. by US President Joe Biden.

Italy imports 95% of the gas it consumes, of which about 45% comes from Russia.

For Germany, 55% of its gas purchases are supplied by Moscow.

But if gas represents 42% of Italy's energy consumption, this rate is only 25% for Germany.

The objective displayed by Rome: to reduce "as quickly as possible" its dependence.

"It's not an easy task, but it has to be done," admitted Mr. Draghi on Wednesday before the deputies.

"Our security and our freedom are at stake," added the head of the Italian government.

Italy, which turned the page on nuclear energy more than three decades ago, plans to increase its annual natural gas production from 3.34 billion to 5 billion m3 and increase its imports of natural gas liquefied gas (LNG) from the United States.

The flags of Turkey, Russia and Italy hang from the pipes of the Blue Stream gas pipeline in Samsun, northern Turkey, November 16, 2005 MUSTAFA OZER AFP/Archives

Rome is leading an all-out diplomatic offensive to free itself from the Russian yoke: Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio thus traveled to Algeria at the end of February, Italy's second gas supplier, to increase production rates.

"War Economy"

Other producers with a troubled past could rise in power, such as Azerbaijan, Tunisia or even Libya.

And Mario Draghi spoke by telephone with the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to secure increased deliveries of LNG.

However, "these increases are not enough to compensate for a possible cut in gas from Russia," Roberto Bianchini, director of the Climate Finance Observatory at the Polytechnic of Milan, told AFP.

"We are preparing for a war economy, hoping not to get there," said Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Manlio Di Stefano.

"If the gas supply were cut, we would have two weeks of full autonomy, two weeks without industry, then total darkness," he said.

Vladimir Putin (d) alongside Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller (g) in Anapa, Russia, December 8, 2012 ALEXEI NIKOLSKY POOL/AFP/Archives

Realistic or exaggerated warning?

"Italy currently has one of the largest gas reserves in Europe, 30% full, it can import more LNG and reactivate coal-fired power plants to avoid this scenario, so there will be no blackout," Simone Tagliapietra, energy professor at the Catholic University of Milan, told AFP.

With soaring prices, the EU will pay from April one billion euros a day to Moscow to pay for its gas and oil purchases, according to its calculations.

For Roberto Bianchini, an interruption in Russian deliveries "could lead to the need to temporarily suspend consumption by certain companies".

Return of coal?

Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani admitted that getting out of Russian gas would be a long-term job.

"We import 29 billion m3 of gas from Russia per year, of which 15 billion will be supplied by the end of spring from other countries. It will take us 24 to 30 months to become fully independent."

If Mario Draghi bets on increased use of renewable energies, he does not rule out reviving the half-dozen coal-fired power stations still in operation and doomed to disappear in 2025.

"To avoid a blackout, the only alternative is to use the capacity of coal-fired power plants", despite the harmful impact on the environment, judge Mr. Bianchini.

In the meantime, Mario Draghi has called for European sanctions to "target restricted sectors, without including energy".

Hiccups appeared within the government when it came to negotiating at the end of February within Europe the exclusion of Russia from the Swift banking messaging network, an essential cog in international finance.

At the same time that Luigi Di Maio advocated a hard line in Brussels to banish Russia from the Swift, the Minister of Economy Daniele Franco defended in Paris the option that "certain countries, including Italy, continue to pay for gas natural Russian".

© 2022 AFP