Gas storage facilities in France are filled to 85%, while in Germany they are filled to only 59%, according to recent reports. The European Gas Infrastructure Operators Organization (ENTSOG) has stated that despite these historically low levels, the European Union is still able to meet winter demand. As of October 1st, European underground gas storage was filled to 72%, which ENTSOG described as "historically low" levels after a "difficult" filling period. This situation is linked to disruptions caused by the ongoing war in the Middle East, which has affected global energy markets and supply chains. Reserve levels vary significantly from one country to another, with France filling about 85% of its storage capacity and Germany only 59%. ENTSOG encourages continuing to fill storage and closely monitoring reserves. Despite this, the organization insists that European gas infrastructure remains "sufficiently flexible to meet demand." Imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is natural gas cooled to a liquid form for easier transport by ship, can "partially compensate for lower storage levels and contribute to meeting winter demand." Maintaining significant LNG deliveries throughout the winter is therefore "essential," the report states. ENTSOG warns that if the availability of LNG remains limited, reserves could fall significantly below 30% by the end of winter, increasing the system's vulnerability in the event of a late cold snap. The organization also highlights regional disparities, particularly for landlocked countries in Central and Eastern Europe as well as Southeast Europe, which could encounter more difficulties in accessing sufficient volumes of LNG. These disparities may lead to "potentially very high" energy prices during the winter months. At the end of September, the European Commission noted that there is "no immediate risk to supply security," but that "potentially very high" prices are expected this winter due to the war in the Middle East. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe has sought to reduce its historical dependence on Russian gas transported via pipelines. It has partly turned to LNG, which is transported by ship, unloaded at ports, regasified, and then injected into the European network. Behind the United States (about 60%) to which the EU is increasingly dependent, Russia remains the second-largest LNG supplier, with about 17% of European imports in 2026, contradicting the policy announced by Brussels. The European Union indeed plans to ban all imports of Russian gas by autumn 2027 in order to deprive Moscow of resources funding its war in Ukraine.