Russia can play the role of a balancing gas supplier in Europe when the geopolitical standoff is over and business ties are normalized. This is the opinion of Skoltech experts, RIA Novosti reports.

"Potentially, after the end of the current cycle of geopolitical tensions and normalization of commercial relations, Russia could play the role of a balancing supplier of gas to the European market by providing spot supplies," the special study says.

It is called "Transformation of the Russian gas export strategy at a new stage in the development of the Russian gas industry: the LNG factor".

The authors were Sergey Kapitonov, an analyst at the Skoltech Project Center for Energy Transition and ESG, Andrey Osiptsov, director of the center, and Irina Gaida, his deputy.

Experts note that Europe reacted painfully to the reduction in supplies from Russia for political reasons. Its market is still sensitive to any signals. European demand will not fall below 300 billion cubic meters of gas per year in 2020 – 2030.

If Europe does not sign long-term contracts for LNG imports from the United States and Qatar, then Russia has some potential to play the role of a balancing supplier in the European market in the future. The Russian Federation will supply spot volumes through the preserved gas transportation infrastructure.

Experts note that this is impossible in the current conditions, but the gas business is a "long game" and "some parameters of the equation may change."