Photo via Toronto Star

EU nations seek energy alternatives after spending over $113 billion extra since Iran war began

Read the original at Toronto Star ↗
Cite

Mcneil, S. (2026, September 29). EU nations seek energy alternatives after spending over $113 billion extra since Iran war began. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/news/world/europe/eu-nations-seek-energy-alternatives-after-spending-over-113-billion-extra-since-iran-war-began/article_d034d06b-0c6f-5351-9212-9d2bca9b39c9.html

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Toronto Star · collected 2026-09-29 · by Sam Mcneil

Quick Summary

European Union nations have spent over 100 billion euros ($113.5 billion) extra on energy imports since the start of the conflict with Iran. This surge in costs has led to significant increases in fuel prices, reaching nearly 50% higher in some countries—equivalent to more than $11 per gallon. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil trade route through which one-fifth of global oil shipments typically pass, has exacerbated these price hikes and is driving efforts to find alternative energy sources.
Written by AI on 2026-09-29, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Since the outbreak of the Iran war, European Union nations have spent over an extra €100 billion ($113.5 billion) on energy imports. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's traded oil passed in peacetime, has caused significant price hikes for consumers in some EU countries who now pay nearly 50% more at the pump, equivalent to over $11 per gallon. This crisis is prompting politicians to accelerate their search for alternatives to fossil fuels as prices continue to soar.

Written for “EU Energy Crisis” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 EU Energy Crisis
Politics · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads leans left and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Euronews
Hedges 6 of 24 claims Outlet record 60/100
“The articles discuss related energy issues but refer to different specific events and timeframes.”
BBC News
Hedges 1 of 4 claims Outlet record 68/100
“The articles discuss different aspects and impacts of the Iran war on fuel prices, with Article A focusing specifically on UK diesel and petrol prices hitting record highs, while Article B covers EU nations' increased spending on energy imports.”
Dawn
Hedges 0 of 17 claims Outlet record 72/100
“The articles describe different effects of increased energy costs in distinct regions (EU and Pakistan) rather than the same specific incident.”
Daily Mail
Hedges 2 of 39 claims Outlet record 68/100
“The articles discuss different aspects of energy crises affecting Europe, with Article A focusing on EU nations' collective response to increased spending since the Iran war, while Article B focuses specifically on Britain's impending energy crisis and rising household bills.”
New York Post
⚖️ Leans right further right than this Hedges 4 of 20 claims Outlet record 66/100
“The articles discuss different actions taken by EU nations and the Trump administration in response to high energy costs, not a single specific incident.”
Al Jazeera
⚖️ Leans right further right than this Hedges 4 of 10 claims Outlet record 60/100
“The articles describe related actions taken in response to the crisis but report on different specific events: Article A discusses EU nations spending extra money on energy imports, while Article B focuses on Trump's potential request for Europe to release diesel reserves.”
The Straits Times
Hedges 5 of 23 claims Outlet record 66/100
“The articles describe different events: one about EU nations seeking energy alternatives due to increased spending since the Iran war, and another about an emergency meeting on soaring diesel prices amid US pressure.”
The Sydney Morning Herald
⚖️ Leans right further right than this Hedges 7 of 26 claims Outlet record 61/100
“The articles describe different aspects of the economic impact of the Iran war, with one focusing on EU nations' increased energy costs and the other on Australia's gas industry profiting from higher prices.”
Toronto Star
Hedges 0 of 2 claims Outlet record 64/100
“Article A discusses EU nations seeking energy alternatives due to increased spending, while Article B reports Trump's announcement about Europe releasing diesel reserves immediately.”
NBC News
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 0 of 17 claims Outlet record 60/100
“The articles describe different actions taken by EU nations and G-7 countries in response to rising energy costs, rather than the same specific event.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
2
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 2 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans left
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
64/100
Toronto Star's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-29 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Toronto Star · 10757 article(s) · 28 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 28 correction(s)
2026-10-26
Correction
2026-10-24
Correction
2026-10-07
Correction
2026-09-24
Correction

Who wrote this

Sam Mcneil
8 article(s) here · 0 carrying a prediction
🔮 Corney said the measure would greatly improve accountability at little cost.
🔮 The mayhem of recent weeks — with mass arrests and hundreds of injured — has sparked an uproar in a country steeped in a centuries-old culture of protest.
🔮 As Saudi Arabia investigates how its air defenses failed to stop the Houthis’ attacks, it must also consider how to respond and what the rebels might do next.
🔮 Despite the seeming European unity this week, it remains unclear what the EU can or is willing to do.
🔮 Magnus Brunner said he would call for a vast expansion of Frontex, including new powers, more funding and a larger workforce.
🔮 BRUSSELS (AP) — Wars in the Middle East and Ukraine are driving governments across Europe to craft subsidies, taxes and policy revisions that might shield their economies, companies and increasingly aggrieved citizens from record gasoline and diesel prices.
Also by Sam Mcneil
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 8 articles by Sam Mcneil →

Topics

BRUSSELS European European Union the Iran war

Subjects

BRUSSELS GPE · 1× European NORP · 1× European Union ORG · 1×

Narrative

Consumers in some European countries pay nearly 50% more at the pump, equivalent to more than $11 a gallon, following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil passed in peacetime.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-29

Claims (2 extracted, 0 hedged)

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union nations have spent over an extra 100 billion euros ($113.5 billion) on energy imports since the outbreak of the Iran war, pushing politicians to seek alternatives to fossil fuels as prices skyrocket. asserted
prices → spend → fuels
Consumers in some European countries pay nearly 50% more at the pump, equivalent to more than $11 a gallon, following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil passed in peacetime. asserted
fifth → pay → peacetime
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support