MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/. The United States attempts to use aggravation of the situation around Ukraine to promote its liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Europe but Europeans will give up Russian pipeline gas in the extreme case only, experts questions by TASS said.

"Indeed, new developments around Ukraine give the upper hand to the US administration and US gas suppliers in their attempts to steal back the European market from Russia," Program Director of the Valdai Discussion Club Ivan Timofeev said. "The US now attempts to overtake the initiative on this occasion but they did not receive any clear answer in this regard after the meeting between US President Joe Biden with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Yes, certainly, the Germans and the Europeans say in general that they will approach the US in a certain case but they will continue thinking while "the certain case" does not occur," he noted.

Europeans are not disposed to really consider the US alternative to Russian gas, Deputy Head of the National Energy Security Fund Alexey Grivach said. "The potential of the US LNG and LNG at large is close to being exhausted in the short term. This is because sources of supplies are not enough and capacity utilization of the intake infrastructure is close to maximal. As far as European market problems are concerned, prices are the main one among them, making their industry absolutely uncompetitive and the social situation - troubled. If Europeans want to overcome this crisis, this can only be done by relying on Russian gas and development of energy ties with Russia. Other options are lengthy, costly and dangerous," the expert said.