EU, U.S. Consider Joint Efforts to Address Energy Security Concerns

BRUSSELS--The United States and the European Union Wednesday pledged strong support to Ukraine to decrease its dependence on Russian gas and said they would work jointly on diversifying energy supplies in Europe.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and the EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the crisis in Ukraine has "brought energy concerns to the fore" and called on Russia to stick to principles of "fairness, non-discrimination" when dealing with its energy partners, according to a joint statement issued after talks in Brussels.

"The EU and United States recognized that our energy security concerns and those of our friends and partners pose common challenges, and are considering new collaborative efforts to address these challenges," the statement said.

A senior U.S. official said the two sides were "sharply focused" on addressing the "critical needs' of Ukraine.

Ukraine is the main transit route for Russian gas imports to Europe, ramping up concerns in Brussels that supplies could be halted in the event of a dispute between the two sides. Ukraine currently owes Russian state gas monopoly OAO Gazprom $2.1billion in unpaid bills, with the prospect of its debts spiraling further this month, when it will have to pay higher prices for the gas.

The high-level energy summit, which was also attended by EU energy chief Gunther Oettinger and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman, came on the same day as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said it would propose a "reassurance package" by April 15 to bolster the military alliance's response to Russia's military actions in the region.

Speaking a day after the alliance's foreign affairs chiefs met in Brussels, NATO's top military commander, Gen. Philip Breedlove, said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal the plan could include deploying forces and equipment in Eastern Europe, beefing up military exercises, and increasing the readiness of NATO's rapid-response force.

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