The European Union is investing billions in infrastructure in its effort to replace Russian fuels with liquefied natural gas. This could prove to be a dead end — both for taxpayers and for the climate.

Ursula von der Leyen also proposed a price cap for firms profiting from rising energy prices and spoke of a "solidarity contribution" for fossil fuel companies.

Ursula von der Leyen's message was loud and clear in her State of the European Union address. To drive home the point, the EU Commission President, sporting the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag, had Ukraine's First Lady as her guest of honour. We ask about von der Leyen's message and the cost of a quick segue away from Russian oil and gas.

Ursula von der Leyen's message was loud and clear in her State of the European Union address. To drive home the point, the EU Commission President, sporting the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag, had Ukraine's First Lady as her guest of honour. We ask about von der Leyen's message and the cost of a quick segue away from Russian oil and gas.

Coal is seeing a bit of a revival in Germany, with out-of-service power plants being placed back online as gas supplies from Russia fall. But bringing coal-fired plants back online is easier said than done.

Gas supplies to Europe from Russia through the pipeline had been shut off for 10 days of scheduled maintenance. The flow has now restarted but at far below maximum capacity.

As the World Economic Forum in Davos draws to a close, Business Editor Kate Moody gives us an update on the final day's agenda. The war in Ukraine and global food and energy security dominated discussions throughout the event. The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, has told FRANCE 24 that it will be very difficult for Europe to move away from Russian gas because of its over-reliance on the country's supplies over the years.

Europe is at a crossroads. Amid the war in Ukraine, can the continent wean itself off Russian gas? An energy transition is underway, but the alternatives could lock countries into dirty fossil fuels for years to come. We take a closer look in this edition of Down to Earth.

As pressure mounts for a ban on Russian gas and oil imports, the DIW think tank suggests that alternative suppliers and lower consumption could free Germany from its dependence on the Kremlin to cover its energy needs.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said his country would start selling gas to certain nations in Russia's own currency, prompting a rise in the ruble's value on the Moscow Stock Exchange.

The German town of Jemgum is the site of a huge gas storage facility owned by a subsidiary of Russia's energy giant Gazprom. The mayor now wants the operators to foot the bill for the costs it incurs his town.

Shipments of Russian natural gas through the Yamal Pipeline have sharply declined, a week after Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Gazprom insists it's fulfilling all of its European contracts, but the data has underscored the EU's dependence on Russian energy imports. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says ending that reliance is now a priority. Also in the show: the Russian rouble falls to a new record low, and Western companies continue to cut ties with Moscow.