1.16pm GMT

Ambassadors from Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic urged the United States to boost natural gas exports to Europe as a hedge against the risk that Russia could cut its supply of gas to Ukraine, according to AP.

In a letter to John Boehner, the Republican speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the ambassadors ask for Congress to support speedier approval of natural gas exports. It notes that the “presence of U.S. natural gas would be much welcome in Central and Eastern Europe.”



The ambassadors say the unrest in Ukraine has revived Cold War memories, and energy security threatens the region’s residents daily. “Gas-to-gas competition in our region is a vital aspect of national security and a key U.S. interest in the region,” the ambassadors wrote.



Boehner and Republicans have been urging the Obama administration to clear the way for more exports to capitalize on America’s current natural gas boom. The U.S. Energy Department has approved only six export licenses, while about two dozen remain pending.



White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Friday that because Europe has had a relatively mild winter, gas supplies are sufficient. He said even if the U.S. did approve more export licenses, it would take until the end of 2015 for gas to be delivered.

“Proposals to try to respond to the situation in Ukraine that are related to our policy on exporting natural gas would not have an immediate effect,” Earnest said.