China News Service, November 27th, a comprehensive report, "The fact is that if you look at this issue calmly, the country that benefits the most from it is the United States, because they sell more natural gas at a higher price, and because they sell More weapons.” Recently, a senior EU official told the US political news website Politico when talking about the situation in Russia and Ukraine.

　　At present, Europe is in the midst of an energy crisis, and more and more senior EU officials are angry with the Biden administration-while Europe is suffering, the United States is spending a lot of "energy money" and "arms money" in the Ukraine crisis.

EU officials bluntly stated that US-EU relations are at a "historic moment".

Image source: Screenshot of a report by the US political news website Politico.

EU Angers, U.S. Ignores

　　According to Bloomberg News, French President Macron recently publicly accused the United States of engaging in "double standards" in the sale of natural gas, making Europeans pay almost "three to four times" the price of Americans.

German Economy Minister Habeck also accused Washington of being a "friendly country but charging sky-high prices", calling on it to "show more solidarity" to help lower gas prices.

　　However, the United States chose to ignore and reject the EU's anger and accusations.

　　“The increase in natural gas prices in Europe is caused by the Russia-Ukraine situation and Putin’s energy war on Europe. Instead, the US’s LNG exports to Europe have ‘surged’ to help Europe get rid of Russia’s threat,” the US National Security Council spokesperson responded. .

　　The US political news website Politico reported that at the G20 meeting in Bali, Indonesia, in mid-November, when EU leaders negotiated with Biden on the issue of high US natural gas prices, Biden seemed not aware of the issue at all.

Other EU officials and diplomats agreed that U.S. ignorance of the consequences of Europe selling energy at high prices was worrying. 

　　According to the US "Business Insider" website citing industry insiders as saying, buying liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States at a price of about US$60 million to fill a ship, and the sale price soared to US$275 million after it arrived in Europe, excluding transportation And other costs, each LNG carrier earned more than 150 million U.S. dollars.

　　“It’s an unbelievable arbitrage price so far,” said Felix Booth, director of natural gas at energy analytics firm Vortexa.

"Anyone who owns gas and wants its price to go up has made an 'unbelievable' profit."

　　The anger of the EU may have to continue. Experts predict that US natural gas exports to Europe are expected to remain similarly high in the future, because governments such as Germany will import large quantities of fossil fuels to ensure heating supplies and industrial development.

"Is Washington still an ally of the EU?"

　　At the same time, the Biden administration's Inflation Cutting Act has also brought transatlantic trade war concerns back on the political agenda, Politico noted.

In August of this year, Biden signed the "Inflation Reduction Act" with a total value of 750 billion U.S. dollars, aiming to help industries such as electric vehicles, renewable energy and batteries made in the United States through a large number of subsidies and incentives.

Data map: US President Biden.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Mengtong

　　The EU accused its plan of being "protectionist" and "discriminatory", and worried that the US government's move would lead to a sharp drop in EU trade and fall into a "full-scale panic mode". Currently, it is urgently formulating a subsidy plan to save European industries from being eliminated by competitors. 

　　“The Inflation Cut Act changed everything,” one EU diplomat questioned. “Is Washington still our ally after all?”

　　German Environmental Protection Minister Reinhard Bütikofer also said: "Trade issues in the (EU-U.S.) relationship are experiencing a creeping crisis of confidence."

　　At present, Germany and France have publicly stated that the two countries will "stand on the same front" to deal with the "unimaginable consequences" brought about by the "Inflation Reduction Act", and do not rule out increasing aid to industries in Europe.

　　Politico quoted a senior EU official as saying, "The United States needs to realize that public opinion in many EU countries is shifting."