Putin’s ‘Gas War’ on Europe with ‘stopping provides’ risk as ‘it is simply enterprise’

Vladimir Putin is threatening Europe and Britain with an immediate Gas War as he seeks to weaponise the conflict in the Middle East to hit the West. The Russian leader says he has an opportunity to gain new customers and says his decision would not be political and “it is just business”.

A move by the dictator to immediately cut remaining Russian supplies to the continent could amplify expected price rises for householders resulting from the turmoil in the Gulf.

Putin told his propaganda media that he could act preemptively to hit consumers in the EU and rest of Europe.

The chaos around the Strait of Hormuz – with tankers unable to reach their customers – means other markets are coming on tap for Russian gas, he said.

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“Perhaps it would be more advantageous for us to stop supplies to the European market right now,” said Putin.

“Go to the markets that are opening and gain a foothold there.”

The EU was committed before the Gulf chaos to a phase-out of Russian liquefied natural gas [LNG] and pipeline supplies, leading to full cessation by the end of next year, as punishment for Putin’s war.

“If they’re going to shut us down in a month or two anyway, wouldn’t it be better to stop now and go to those countries and those that are reliable partners, and gain a foothold there…?

“I will definitely instruct the government to work on this issue with our companies.”

Putin said: “Customers have emerged who are willing to buy the same natural gas at higher prices, in this case due to events in the Middle East, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and so on.

“This is natural; there’s nothing here, there’s no political agenda — it is just business.”

In fact, the US-Israeli strikes on Iran are a disaster for Putin, hitting his close ally Iran – supplier of military drones and missiles – following the toppling of the Assad dynasty in Syria.

Yet an upside could be that soaring oil and gas prices will boost revenues just as his economy is creaking under sanctions and the costs of his four-year war in Ukraine.

The fear with Putin’s latest announcement will be that precipitate Russian action could add to a spiral in energy bills in Britain and across Europe, derailing already fragile economies and hitting consumers.

While most gas used in Britain comes from domestic production and Norwegian fields, UK wholesale prices remain closely linked to European markets through inter-connectors and competition for global LNG cargoes.

Russia still accounted for about 13% of EU gas imports in 2025 [pipeline and LNG combined], meaning disruptions to Russian supply can still ripple through European prices and indirectly hit the UK market.

Separately, EU and NATO state Slovakia is ramping up pressure to restart controversial Russian oil supplies to it and Hungary.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico claimed he had satellite evidence that the pipeline had not been badly damaged by Russian strikes, as Ukraine has claimed.

“The main route of the Druzhba oil pipeline is not damaged, so President Zelenskyy is demonstratively lying.” He claimed.

Ukraine has refused EU calls for an independent inspection of the pipeline.

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