Nepal, Oct. 26 -- The price of partnership with the United States has changed. Washington is now using assurances of defence and trade access to pressure allies in Europe and Asia to buy more of its fossil fuels under decades-long contracts.

The scale is immense. The European Union intends to import up to A$1.15 trillion of US energy-mostly liquefied natural gas (LNG)-by 2028. That would be more than four times its current imports, though analysts are sceptical it will eventuate.

Indonesia has signed up for $24 billion in US energy imports and Japan is exploring a similar option.

These deals aren't based on free trade. They represent the Trump administration's geopolitical play using trade and security carrots and sticks to lock in lon...