Just where is Joe Biden going to find gas for the EU?

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday pitched himself as the EU’s savior from its Russian energy addiction — but arranging a rapid increase in the amount of liquefied natural gas sailing to Europe won’t be easy.

“We’re coming together to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian energy,” Biden said at a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as the two leaders worked on how to punish Russia for invading Ukraine.

Both sides mentioned a goal of 15 billion cubic meters (bcm) of additional liquefied natural gas (LNG) delivered to EU markets this year, with hopes for 50 bcm more of U.S. LNG annually through 2030. Russia sends the EU 155 bcm a year, or about about 40 percent of the bloc’s total gas consumption.

Von der Leyen spoke of a “U.S. commitment to provide” those short-term volumes, but the final text of the joint statement says the U.S. will “work with international partners and strive to ensure” those cargoes find their way to the EU this year.

A senior U.S. official clarified that the promise of 15 bcm this year is actually a commitment to try and help convince companies in Asia or elsewhere that were expecting cargoes this coming winter to agree to send them to Europe instead. That would be a repeat of what happened this past winter, the official said.

But LNG industry executives meeting in Texas earlier this month warned that the weather would play a major role in dictating where cargoes go — and that a cold snap could see Asian countries clinging to their promised fuels.

“All importers are fishing in the same pool for supply,” warned the International Energy Agency (IEA) in this month’s guide to weaning the EU off Russian gas. Increasing LNG flows to the bloc would mean “exceptionally tight LNG markets and very high prices.”

:biden-troll: Listen jack, I didn’t say I was gonna give you the fuel! We’ll let you know if we see any around though!