EU leaders reach compromise on energy after long debate

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN and RAF CASERT
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — EU leaders struggled for hours Friday to find a compromise on a deal aimed at curbing energy prices that have gone through the roof and hurt households and businesses across the 27-nation bloc. There was a clear rift between southern and northern nations during the day-long talks held in Brussels. Mediterranean countries led by Spain were pushing for intervention on the market with measures like price caps while Germany and the Netherlands were resisting drastic options. Leaders, however, did agree on a proposal from the European Commission to move toward the joint purchase of natural gas. The war in Ukraine has made EU nations realize they have been way too reliant on Russia for natural gas and oil.