The "imperative to detach the European Union from Russian energy supplies" needs to be pursued with renewed vigour and purpose if the EU is to gain long-term strategic autonomy, Beata Szydło said today as MEPs adopted in committee her report on the security of energy supply in the EU.

Ms Szydło, a former prime minister of Poland, said her long political experience of the Kremlin using energy as a weapon of diplomatic coercion convinced her that there could be “no return to business as usual with Gazprom” when Russia ends its war of aggression against Ukraine.

The MEP’s own-initiative report, adopted today in the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, highlights the importance of a broad energy mix in the EU, “driven by innovation and grounded pragmatism” — which should include next-generation small modular nuclear reactors alongside renewables.

The report also recognises that decarbonisation must consider the specificities of Member States, the needs of their industries and the vulnerability of their citizens to ensure a just transition that maintains energy security by balancing climate ambitions with economic and social realities.

Ms Szydło said:

“As Poland well knows, Russia can’t be trusted about anything, least of all as a reliable supplier of energy to the European Union.

“Accelerating a permanent detachment from Europe’s addiction to cheap Russian hydrocarbons is the only way forward for Europe’s goal of strategic autonomy.

“Europe is perfectly capable of energy self-sufficiency if we prioritise innovation and maintain a commitment to technological neutrality.

“Renewables play an important role in this approach, but so does nuclear power, which is safer and more efficient than ever.

“The report recognises that Member States start from very different points. A just and lasting energy transition must reflect this, by respecting economic realities and protecting our citizens and industries from harm.”

The file goes to a plenary vote in July.