Europe’s leaders ramp up efforts to secure energy deals to sidestep Russia

Italian premier Mario Draghi said Algeria was a ‘very important partner’ for his country (Roberto Monaldo/LaPresse via AP)

European leaders ramped up their push to secure alternative energy supplies as fears escalate of a complete natural gas cutoff by Russia, with the leaders of Italy, France and the European Union looking to seal deals with their counterparts in Algeria, Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates.

With his government’s fate in limbo back home, Italian premier Mario Draghi visited Algeria’s capital of Algiers, seeking to cement the North African country’s role as a preeminent regional partner.