Remarks by HR/VP Kaja Kallas at the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting – Plenary Session II: Energy

Energy security is a crucial issue for all countries. Disruptions to strategic routes and critical infrastructure quickly translate into higher prices, pressure on households and industry, and wider economic vulnerability. We see it in all our countries.

From the Strait of Hormuz to Ukraine, geopolitics is shaping energy security and severely affecting people’s lives. All our economies have a critical interest in reliable supplies, affordable energy and resilient infrastructure.  

I welcome the G20’s work on energy security, resilient supply chains, critical minerals and access to clean cooking. These are practical areas in which international cooperation can deliver tangible benefits. 

Energy security, diversification and the clean energy transition reinforce one another, they are not contradicting. Our task is to address immediate needs while reducing our exposure to future crises. 

Secure energy flows are a fundamental concern for all of us. Attacks on energy infrastructure and the blocking of critical waterways should be strongly condemned by the G20.  

The G20 Energy Security Principles give us a useful basis for cooperation. We should build on the common ground they provide on affordability, diversification, connectivity, resilience and secure energy flows. 

Immediate crisis measures should be coordinated, targeted and temporary. I know it is very hard to do because how do you define the targeted and temporary part when you don’t know how long a crisis will take. Cooperation on emergency supplies and stock releases can ease market pressures, but we need to focus on restoring secure flows and addressing the geopolitical drivers of disruption. 

For the European Union, the energy transition is central to strengthening resilience. Faster deployment of renewables and low-carbon energy must go hand in hand with stronger grids, storage, energy efficiency and the capacity to maintain a reliable electricity system. 

This must be an international effort. We should strengthen cooperation on diversified and resilient energy infrastructure, and its protection against physical and cyber threats. 

Energy security must also mean access to affordable and reliable energy. The EU will continue its cooperation with partners of the Global South – on clean cooking and clean energy investment – as an integral part of our work. 

The EU stands ready to work with partners on practical measures that address today’s pressures and reduce tomorrow’s vulnerabilities.  

Energy security and the clean energy transition must advance together.