Why Energy Sanctions Against Russia Are Not An Option For Europe

Why Europe Can't Hit Russia With Its Biggest Club: Energy Sanctions -- David J. Unger, Christian Science Monitor

Europe has sanctioned Russian individuals in response to the Crimea crisis, but it confronts an inescapable fact when it comes to targeting Russia's natural gas and oil exports.

Europe has acute concerns about Russia's military intervention and annexation of Crimea – it's doling out aid to Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russian individuals.

But its potentially most punitive weapon – blocking Russian energy exports – remains out of reach. However much Europe might like to express its displeasure by targeting a major part of Russia's economy, it confronts one inescapable fact: It needs Russia's natural gas and oil.

Europe's dependency has concerned both the European Union and the United States for decades, but the current political crisis in Ukraine has driven home the urgent need for Europe to move more aggressively to diversify its energy sources – particularly its natural gas – thus allowing Brussels to be more economically secure, not to mention more geopolitically nimble in challenging Moscow.

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Update: Crimea Sanctions: Europe Should Impose Stiffer Penalties -- David Böcking, Speigel Online

My Comment: The Europeans need the gas to use their stoves, to heat their homes in winter, and to power-up their industries .... no politician in Europe is going to run on such a platform of sanctions. On the flip side .... the Russians are willing to suffer knowing that they may not have the same amount of money as those in the West may have .... but .... their homes will be warm, their stoves will work, and their industries will be working.

Here is an easy prediction .... by the end of this year ..... when Russian gas exports to Europe are decided upon .... the Russians will use their energy card to have the Europeans get rid of the sanctions that they imposed on Monday against top Russian officials.