The long, tough winter ahead: Europe’s energy crisis is about to get very real

Europe has scrambled to find alternative energy supplies ahead of the winter, but it will not be enough to prevent unaffordable bills and possibly social unrest, experts tell Rory Sullivan

Germany, long dependent on energy imports from Russia, is facing uncertain times as it seeks to pivot away from Russian gas, oil and coal (Getty)

The stability of the European Union could come under threat this winter because of the scale of the energy crisis unleashed by Russia’s war in Ukraine, experts are warning.

Although the bloc recently announced plans to recoup around €140bn (£121bn) through a windfall tax on energy companies’ soaring profits, concerns remain about how it will cope with high prices and reduced gas supply in the months ahead.

In response to Western sanctions imposed following its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has exerted an energy squeeze on the EU, which tightened last month when it shut down Nord Stream 1, its main gas pipeline to Europe.