News - World: Up to a quarter of the EU's electricity demand is generated using gas while in some of the blocks member states it is higher. As less of it arrives from Russia, EU nations have agreed to reduce gas consumption by 15% until spring.

    I think at the end everybody understands that this sacrifice is necessary. We have to, and we will, share the pain.

    Jozef Sikels, Czech Republic Deputy Prime Minister

Many in the European Parliament say the pain is not being shared equally.

    Only working class people are dying. I put it (that) the EU has done nothing to stop this When and so many people in here are dragged to wars taking place.

    Mick Wallace, Irish MEP

Within NATO there is opposition to Finland and Sweden joining the military alliance within the EU there is opposition to the blocks foreign policy towards Russia.

There are also tensions between the EU and the UK. At present, it appears, diplomacy in the West simply isn't working and trust between allies is at an all time low.

 How this will all play out is anybody's guess. It has been suggested that Russia wants Western allies to fall out

    Now is not the time for finger pointing, we understand that they want to destroy, the wants to divide, they want to split this solidarity and unity.

    German Galuschenk, Ukrainian Energy Minister
Critics say the West is responsible for the war in Ukraine because Russia's security concerns were ignored and even preyed upon. Experts suggest the conflict has highlighted the EU's weaknesses and has exposed the lack of energy infrastructure investments within the block.

    That is what why investing in grits, in interconnectors, in something as boring as pipelines, that matters.

    Connie Hedegaard, EU Energy Consultant

Ordinary people in the EU are asking "How did we get to this point?" where there is a cost of living crisis and all sorts of security concerns. Analysts warn there will be political ramifications.

Source: Press TV