How the Iran war has left Europe facing yet another energy crisis

The knock-on effects of the conflict now whipping through the Middle East are awakening ghosts of crises past that shook the European Union.

Seven months into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022, the President of the European Commission stood at her podium in the European Parliament and accused Russia of manipulating the EU's energy market.

"They prefer to flare the gas than to deliver it," proclaimed Ursula von der Leyen, as spiralling energy prices hit consumers across the continent. "This market is not functioning anymore."

"This is a war on our energy, a war on our economy, a war on our values and a war on our future," she declared, insisting that Europe was already pivoting away from Russian gas and toward more dependable partners such as the US and Norway.

But fast forward four years and you find deep energy-linked frustration in the heart of Europe once again.

"We swore we'd learn. We promised things would change but here we are," a highly frustrated European diplomat told me. He asked for anonymity so as to be able to speak openly.

The focus of his teeth grinding was Europe's growing energy shock, triggered by the burning conflict in the Middle East and threatening to dominate a summit of European leaders in Brussels on Thursday.

"Instead of concentrating on much-needed long-term plans - about how to make Europe more competitive in this increasingly volatile world, [European] prime ministers and presidents are now in a panic over [energy] prices, worried about angry voters and scrambling for short-term solutions.

"Just like the crisis after Russia's fullscale invasion of Ukraine. Different conflict. Same European divisions; same dilemmas over energy. We can't keep going round in these circles. Something's got to give."

You'd be hard-pushed to find a policy-maker in Europe who didn't agree with that last statement.

But can Europe - whether that be the whole continent or even just the 27 member states of the EU, with their diverse range of industries, energy requirements and perspectives on renewables - really secure its own energy?

A lot has changed since 2022, when Europe decided to phase out its reliance on Russian gas, oil and coal and become more energy independent, following Moscow's widespread assault on Ukraine.