In terms of the remnants of Russian imports, only liquefied gas (LNG) remains. Although even that share has dropped from 30% to 15% since 2021.
Jetten calls it realistic that Russian raw materials end up on the European – and therefore Dutch – market through detours anyway. ‘They try to sell their energy to other parts of the world. For example, you see ships going to parts of Asia and the Middle East. There Russian oil can be blended with other products which then end up on the European market.
He was lucky
The Netherlands has done well without Russian gas this winter, although according to Jetten there has been some luck. ‘We are in good shape now, as the gas depots were well filled. We also have a relatively warm winter. The crucial point is large energy savings at home and in businesses.’ Eventually, Jetten sees a different solution. “Ultimately we want sustainable energy from our soil, but it’s not possible to build all kinds of wind farms within a year.”
That’s why LNG is still imported. ‘We depend on imports from the United States and parts of the Middle East for that. But ultimately you also want to reduce your dependency on it.’