Ref Ukraine

[ErikEst]

Tarrel Wrote:
Quote "Unlikely that Russia would cut off gas supplies to the EU. there would be limited benefit to them in doing so, and they need the income. If they had military ambitions beyond Ukraine, then cutting off the gas could be a military strategy to "soften up" the EU, but otherwise, why would they? I don't think Putin is stupid enough to just engage in a simple "tit for tat" sanctions war.
However, there are reports on BBC news this morning about gas prices to Ukraine for the next quarter being raised. The argument is that Ukraine has not been paying well, so the current low price can't be justified.
In a political climate where there is no love lost between the EU and Russia, and when the EU needs Russia's gas, putting the price up seems to be a more sensible move than cutting off the supply.
(By the way, apparently the Baltic pipeline has something like half the capacity of the Ukraine one)
We have had a mild winter and, as a result, our gas storage is in good shape compared to last year. Long range weather forecast is not suggesting a major late cold snap, so I think we're pretty safe from any immediate supply shocks in the UK. However, I would expect the uncertainty over supply to impact on future wholesale prices, so expect big energy price increases next Autumn.
If there's any prepping to bed one, I would suggest it is medium-term, in thinking about how to minimise one's dependence on the grid (both gas and electric) for next winter." unquote


the irony of the situation is the west is now paying to russia to bully its neighbors!
some years ago europe has an opportunity to build the gas pipe around the russia through the turkey (the nato member country), but no! putin's close friend berluscony agreed on "southstream", gas pipe laid through the russia.
did you know that russia sells more gas to europe than it produces? they buy gas from middle-asian republics and sells it to the west holding hand on the valve.

does sombody still remember when nationalistic anti-immigration party with mr Heider came to the power in austria about ten years ago and how "old" europe started to boycott them? may be you think europian socialists overthrew them? think again. russians closed the valve and soon the more obedient government was created.

now, when the russians have so potent leverage in ukraine as the gas, why they have to use military power at all? that is why:
first, they needed to achieve maximum humiliation for the ukraine for expelling their russian puppet president
and second, they still need cash flow from europe for maintaining somehow potent army, cause they actually don't have any source of income other than revenues from selling natural resources!

so i think it would be a good useful wake up call for europe when putin closes tha gas valve to europe! may be west starts to think how to live sustainable