The European Union's efforts to sever its dependence on Russian energy are losing momentum, according to a critical assessment from the bloc's own auditors, raising fresh questions about the credibility of Brussels' pledge to end reliance on Moscow's gas and oil in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. The findings, reported by Yahoo News UK, suggest that despite years of political rhetoric and emergency measures introduced since 2022, the transition away from Russian supplies has stalled in key respects, undermining the EU's stated goal of energy independence from a hostile state. The revelation will be closely watched across the UK energy sector, which has positioned itself as a partner to European allies in diversifying supply chains and accelerating renewable deployment since the disruption caused by the war in Ukraine. Britain, though outside the EU's internal energy market, remains deeply interconnected with the continent through interconnectors and gas infrastructure, meaning that any faltering in the EU's exit strategy has knock-on implications for wholesale prices and security of supply on this side of the Channel too. When Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine triggered a continent-wide energy crisis in 2022, EU member states pledged to rapidly cut their dependence on Russian pipeline gas, oil and coal, turning instead to liquefied natural gas imports, renewables and efficiency measures. That pledge was widely credited with reshaping global energy markets almost overnight, sending prices soaring and forcing governments across Europe, including the UK, to intervene with support schemes for households and businesses struggling with the cost of energy. The auditors' warning now casts doubt on how far that promised exit has actually progressed, though the specific findings behind the assessment were not detailed. Even so, the broader context is instructive: transitioning away from decades of infrastructural and contractual dependence on a single major supplier was never going to be straightforward, and previous reporting has highlighted the persistence of some Russian gas flows into Europe via alternative routes and long-term contracts that are difficult to unwind quickly. For the UK, the implications extend beyond diplomatic solidarity with EU partners. Any slippage in Europe's diversification efforts could keep wholesale gas prices more volatile for longer, affecting household bills and the cost calculus for industries reliant on affordable power. It also reinforces the argument, frequently made by UK policymakers, for accelerating domestic renewable capacity, expanding battery storage and rolling out electric vehicle charging infrastructure, all of which reduce exposure to imported fossil fuel price shocks. As Britain pursues its own net zero commitments, the EU's stumbling progress serves as a reminder that energy security and decarbonisation remain intertwined challenges, with success in one often depending on sustained, credible action on the other.