European dependance on Russian natural gas
(image by Michael Collins)
Daily Mail: Europe plunged into energy crisis as Russia cuts off gas supply via Ukraine
WNU Editor: This is a major announcement from Russia .... the equivalent of using a nuclear economic bomb .... and one that will severely impact Ukraine and all of Europe. Not surprising .... prices are now skyrocketing throughout Europe, and for a country like Ukraine that earned fees and concessions for this transfer .... that is now all but dead and one that will profoundly impact its finances. And while the international media is focused on international terrorism ..... this is also a big story .... it is Russia's way of retaliating against sanctions .... and one that is going to hurt everyone in Europe. This probably explains why German Chancellor Merkel had harsh words for Putin today ..... she understands what the consequences of this cut-off will have on Europe .... and on Germany.
More News On Russia Ending All Gas Transfers Through Ukraine For Europe
Russia to Shift Ukraine Gas Transit to Turkey as EU Cries Foul -- Bloomberg
Russia Cuts Off Ukraine Gas Supply To 6 European Countries -- Zero Hedge
Russia Fires Ukraine as Natural Gas Transit for Europe -- OPEdNews
Gazprom informs EC official on transit risks for European customers on Ukraine territory -- Gazprom
Update: This post has a good collection of tables and graphs that outline Europe's dependence on Russian natural gas exports ... that link is here.
Update #2: This post gives a good explanation on the significance of what Russia did today .... Russia pulls trigger on two moves to counter the U.S. and end petrodollar -- Kenneth Schortgen Jr, Washington Examiner
WNU Editor: Hat Tip to reader Jay who gave me the heads up on this story earlier today.
4 comments:
Wow, 2 days with no civilisation, no contact with the outside world, on Paradise Beach half way up 90 Mile Beach or as we say in Australia 'up whoop whoop'...
My how the world has changed in that short time...
This is big stuff..
Will be interesting to see how this bit of news pans out over the coming days and weeks...
Got internet connection again, sucking up all the news.. Ahh the life of an information junkie!! :)
This is big news Mattathias. Russia is positioning itself to wage economic warfare.
Information junkie .... I know how that feels. :)
The only thing shocking about this is that it took Russia this long to do this. Perhaps they wanted to wait until the timing was right to spring this. If the Western Europeans were shocked by this it could be because they have been worrying about America as their strategic competitor for a number of years while largely ignoring Russia never recognizing it might be a problem to rely so heavily on Russia for valuable natural gas and oil supplies.
If Russia is positioning itself for economic warfare, the war figures to be over relatively quickly. Russia has the equivalent of an army of AK-47s. The US and its "allies" have the equivalent of a pop gun. The US is not now nor can expect to be at any time in the foreseeable future to be in a position where it would be capable of confrontation with Russia on any level be it military or economic.
One has to wonder about the sanity of American and Western European leaders who seem to insist upon pursuing policies against more powerful adversaries that have no chance of success. As for America its leadership should do the following: 1.)make clear that their is no daylight between our position on Ukraine and that of Mr. Putin, 2.)make it clear that NATO membership for Ukraine, Georgia, or any other former Soviet country or former Eastern Bloc country will not be considered as long as America is a member, 3.)make it clear that any former Soviet Republic or former Eastern Bloc country will leave NATO immediately or America leaves immediately, 4.)set a date certain for America's withdrawing from NATO and push for NATO's abolishment, and 5.)the US dollar's loss as world reserve currency is inevitable and cannot be prevented. As such, negotiate in earnest with Russia, China, and other major powers on an orderly transition.
Taking these steps might help reduce some of the tensions between us and Russia. In any event, it could help us out of an unwinnable situation we've blundered into. As for Western Europe, if they want Ukraine in the EU or to confront Russia, they can carry on without us. Again, one has to question the sanity of men and women who pursue policies that place their own lives in danger, place the economic viability of themselves and the countries they represent in grave peril, place the lives of their citizens in danger, and place the survival of their countries in serious peril.
B.poster do you miss the good old days of the Soviet union?
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