EU Commission "proposal to expand US LNG supply to Trump"

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump that U.S.-made liquefied natural gas, LNG, could be supplied to Europe.

According to AFP news agency, Commission President von der Leyen told reporters after attending the informal EU summit in Budapest, Hungary, on the 8th local time, that he had spoken to Trump the day before.

"It is very important for the EU and the United States to talk about common interests," Commission President von der Leyen said. "One of them is LNG, and if we replace Russian with US, it is cheaper for us and may lower energy prices."

He also added that the issue of expanding U.S. LNG imports "can also be discussed regarding the EU's trade deficit with the U.S."

The EU has focused on reducing its dependence on Russian natural gas since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022, but the share of Russian imports remains large, with Norway and the United States behind them.

Commission President von der Leyen's remarks on LNG trade come as European countries are contemplating what strategies to take on economic and security issues ahead of Trump's second term in office.

During Trump's first term in office, the EU had conflicts with the U.S. over various trade issues, including defense spending and steel tariffs.