While European Commission Director General for External Relations Eneko Landaburu said the top priority should be for European energy companies to help the bloc reduce its dependency on Moscow by “concretising the necessary diversification of supplies”, Russian Deputy Head of Mission to the EU Alexander Krestiyanov insisted the EU was “wrong” to “reduce the issue of energy security to the issue of energy supply alone”, because much will depend on the development of new technologies, which “can only be done through joint efforts”.

“At the end of the day, the problem is one of energy short-fall. And we have to find ways and tools to fill this gap,” stressed Total CEO Christophe de Margerie, saying solutions should involve not only new energies but also making the most of current energy supplies – including Russian gas.