Many fossil fuel advocates fail to recognise renewable energy reclaim back sovereignty when fossil fuel is gone. Countries regain sovereignty when they no longer have to buy their energy from fossil fuel rich countries. Fossil fuel exports provide luxury for about 24 countries – the rest of the 160 countries are dependent on importing oil gas and coal.  This is highlighted in the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The EU and others have taken steps to reduce imports of fossil fuel, but this war serves as a timely reminder that sovereignty of energy fora  country is good for them, and bad for the fossil fuel exporters.

EU Imports Billions of Fossil Fuel from Russia

While there has been a substantial reduction in fossil fuel purchases by the EU, they are still buying Russian fossil fuels.

Imports to EU prior to Russian Invasion

• Gas import prior 45%. Now it’s 13%. 
• Oil imports was 27% Now 3% 
• Coal was 51%, now zero. 

Even though EU has brought down dependency of Russian energies, it’s about €1.8 billion per month. [1]

I.e. Money sent to Russia for energy = €21 billion = €70 billion into Kremlin war chest since the start of the war. This is almost the same that the EU sent to Ukraine since the start of the war – €118 billion in direct military aid [2] 

The US government estimates that Russia’s economic losses from the war and Western sanctions will amount to around $US1.3 trillion by 2025, and Russia’s direct financial spending on the invasion is estimated at $US250 billion.[3]

Russia Seized $12 trillion of Minerals

Russia seized energy reserves, metals and minerals worth at least $12.4 trillion in the Donbas, including 41 coal fields (63 percent of Ukraine’s coal reserves), 27 natural gas fields, 9 oil fields, 6 iron ore deposits, two titanium ore deposits, a strontium deposit, a uranium deposit, a gold deposit and a large limestone quarry. [3] 

Achieving Sovereignty From Oil

Ember [4] analysis indicates that replacing fossil fuel imports with three key levers—electric vehicles, heat pumps, and renewables—can reduce net fossil fuel imports by 70%, saving importers $1.3 trillion globally each year. Over 52 countries import more than 50% of their energy. The top 10 oil producers produce 72% of oil, the top 20 85%. 

Production			Consumption
Country	YearlyMbpd	ShareProduction	Country	Mbpd	ShareConsumption
United States	13.3	22%	United States	20.0	20%
Saudi Arabia	9.0	11%	China	12.8	15%
Russia	10.1	11%	India	4.4	5%
Canada	5.0	6%	Russia	3.6	4%
China	4.2	5%	Saudi Arabia	3.3	4%
Iraq	4.4	4%	Japan	4.0	3%
Brazil	3.6	4%	Brazil	2.9	3%
UAE	3.3	4%	South Korea	2.6	3%
Iran	4.1	4%	Canada	2.5	2%
Kuwait	2.9	3%	Germany	2.4	2%
Total top 10	59.8	73%	Total top 10	58.5	61%
Others (90)	23.0	27%	Others (214 total)	38.3	39%
World total	82.8		World Total	96.8
Middle East / Russia	33.7	41%
Data from 2022 https://www.worldometers.info/oil/ and Wikipedia

10 Gas Producers 

Just 10 countries dominate gas exports.

Coal Exports are More Restricted

The top coal exporters are even more skewed. The top 3 are 70% and 8 comprise 94% of all coal exports. [6]

References

1. ⁠Hydrogen Subsidies, Clean Power & Fixing Spain’s Blackouts | Ep212: EU Commissioner Dan Jørgensen June 2025. https://www.cleaningup.live/hydrogen-subsidies-clean-power-fixing-spains-blackouts-ep212-eu-commissioner-dan-jorgensen/
2. List of military aid to Ukraine during the Russo-Ukrainian War. 2025 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_military_aid_to_Ukraine_during_the_Russo-Ukrainian_War
3. Russian invasion of Ukraine. 2025  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine
4. Energy Security in an Insecure World.2025 https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/energy-security-in-an-insecure-world
5. Natural Gas Production by Country https://www.worldometers.info/gas/gas-production-by-country/
6. Distribution of coal exports worldwide in 2023, by country 2025 https://www.statista.com/statistics/544848/distribution-of-thermal-coal-exporting-countries-worldwide/