As talks of potential sanctions intensify, the Chancellor of Germany told CNBC that the West has to work very hard to find alternative sources of energy.
Much of the West is dependent on Russia's energy supplies, according to CNBC's Hadley Gamble.
There is a lot of oil, coal and gas exported from Russia to the United States.
We have to work very hard to find a situation where we have alternatives. We need to make it possible that we can come back to a situation where there is no confrontation.
Russia supplied the European Union with natural gas and oil last year.
Western officials have been talking about sanctions against Russia and its energy industry if it invades Ukraine. Russia has amassed an estimated 150,000 troops near the border, despite denying that it is planning to invade its neighbor.
There were multiple claims of shelling from both Russian and Ukrainian sources this week. Russia launched missiles in a show of its nuclear readiness.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told CNBC that energy sanctions against Russian gas giant Gazprom remained on the table if an invasion took place.
There are a number of Russia's gas lines that run through the country. We are taking care of the issue.
He said that they are working hard to make gas transit via Ukraine something that has a good future.
When the next period starts, we will be working very hard to have good gas transit agreements for Ukraine with Russia. Our responsibility is to make gas transit a question that works through all the pipes we have. We are working on peace now.
Both the EU's von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General said that it was important to reduce energy reliance on Russia.
Europe was working hard to reduce its dependence on Russia, and we need to be less dependent on energy from one source.
von der Leyen said that the EU was able to reach out to alternative sources of energy.
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