Italy seeks new gas supplies as Europe races to end reliance on Russian fuels

The European Commission has set a target of phasing out imports of Russian oil, gas and coal by 2027

Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune (right) shakes hands with Italian prime minister Mario Draghi in Algiers this week (AP)

Rome is on a charm offensive to secure the best deals for Italy’s gas supplies as part of Europe’s collective quest to ease its dependence on Russia, which supplies almost three-quarters of the EU’s imports of natural gas.

Italian prime minister Mario Draghi and foreign minister Luigi di Maio travelled to Algiers on Monday to sign a deal to ramp up Algerian gas imports to Italy – the first step in the country’s uphill battle to diversify supplies in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Just weeks after Vladimir Putin ordered his invasion on 24 February, the European Commission said in early March that it was planning to make Europe independent from Russian fossil fuels before 2030, starting with gas. The commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, later said it would aim to do so by 2027.