Kevin McLachlan, TotalEnergies’ Senior Vice President of Exploration, said in a statement: “This successful exploration at Cronos-1 is another illustration of the impact of our Exploration strategy focused on discovering resources at low technical cost and low carbon emissions. , to contribute to energy security, including providing additional sources of natural gas supply to Europe.” It comes as Putin cuts gas supplies to the bloc, which it still relies heavily on (Russian gas accounted for 40% of the EU’s total supplies last year). And in a bid to sanction Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, the EU is hoping to wean itself off Russian gas by following its REPowerEU energy strategy. Russia’s plan to cut billions in capital as it continues to wreak havoc on its neighbors includes in part diversifying its natural gas sources. The discovery of natural gas in Cyprus could then mark a huge victory for the bloc in the face of looming threats from Putin. Putin is still raking in billions in cash from the EU amid the conflict in Ukraine, even as the bloc tries to hammer the Russian economy and end the despot’s war effort. But Putin warned he would cut gas supplies to “unfriendly countries” that refuse to pay for Russian supplies in rubles. The President of the European Commission warned that this would undermine Western sanctions on Russian banks and urged members of the bloc not to give in to Putin’s demand. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan struck a deal with Vladimir Putin to buy some Russian natural gas in rubles in August, defying EU sanctions. Erdogan also refused to sanction Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. READ MORE: Medieval ‘Welsh Atlantis’ map reveals location of TWO ‘lost’ islands
