INTERNATIONAL: United States President Joe Biden on Thursday ,March 24, has met with European Union leaders to discuss the supply of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the 27-member bloc for the next two winters.

The EU seeks to cut reliance on Russian fuels and hike imports from other countries, while the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Europe's top gas supplier, pushed already-high energy prices to records.

In a draft of their summit conclusions, 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 said moves aimed at building up a supply buffer of non-Russian gas.

Russia supplies 40 percent of the EU's collective gas needs - most of which arrives via pipelines , plus 27 percent of oil imports and 46 percent of coal imports.

Countries has remain divided on whether to sanction Russian oil and gas directly, a move already taken by the United States. An EU embargo would require unanimous approval from all 27 member states.