​​Qatar says it cannot unilaterally replace Europe’s energy needs

Qatar, the world’s largest LNG producer, said on Tuesday it cannot “unilaterally” replace Europe's energy needs, explicitly stating that all suppliers must work together.

“The volume of gas needed by the EU cannot be replaced by anyone unilaterally, without disturbing supplies to other regions around the world. Europe’s energy security requires a collective effort from many parties,” said Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs  on Tuesday. 

Minister Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi comments were issued in a statement after a meeting with Kadri Simson the European Union’s Commissioner for Energy to discuss a bilateral cooperation in the energy field.

He added that “the world oil and gas sector has been under-invested for the last few years, and that growing demand for cleaner, safer, and more reliable baseload energy means we all need to increase investment in the gas sector to make sure supply will be available and prices stay reasonable.”  

“Keeping our contractual word is sacrosanct in Qatar,'' he said, adding they have the full trust of their partners globally.  

The Biden administration has previously said that they are in talks with Qatar to supply the EU with LNG in case of shortage due to tension escalating with Russia. 

The minister said that he hopes the tensions in Europe can be resolved diplomatically, and that all suppliers can work together to ensure energy security for the short- and long-terms.