EU leaders are expected to agree at a two-day summit starting on Thursday to jointly buy gas, as they seek to cut reliance on Russian fuels and build a buffer against supply shocks, but the bloc remains unlikely to sanction Russian oil and gas. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Europe’s top gas supplier, pushed already-high energy prices to records and has prompted the European Union to attempt to slash reliance on Russian fossil fuels by hiking imports from other countries and quickly expanding renewable energy. In a draft of their summit conclusions seen by Reuters, the leaders will agree to “work together on the joint purchase of gas, LNG and hydrogen” ahead of next winter, and coordinate measures to fill gas storage. The European Commission said on Wednesday it was ready to lead negotiations pooling demand and seeking gas ahead of next winter, […]