Posted on 04/28/2022 6:28:52 AM PDT by Red Badger
WEDNESDAY EVENING UPDATE
POKROVSK, Ukraine — Russia cut off natural gas to NATO members Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday and threatened to do the same to other countries, using its most essential export in what was seen as a bid to punish and divide the West over its support for Ukraine.
The move, condemned by European leaders as “blackmail,” marked a dramatic escalation in the economic war of sanctions and countersanctions that has unfolded in parallel to the fighting on the battlefield.
The tactic, coming a day after the U.S. and other Western allies vowed to rush more and heavier weapons to Ukraine, could eventually force targeted nations to ration gas and could deal another blow to economies suffering from rising prices.
Poland has been a major gateway for the delivery of weapons to Ukraine and confirmed this week that it is sending the country tanks. Just hours before Russia’s state energy giant Gazprom acted, Poland announced a new set of sanctions against the company and other Russian businesses and oligarchs.
The cutoff and the Kremlin warning that other countries could be next sent shivers of worry through the 27-nation European Union. Germany, the largest economy on the continent, and Italy are among Europe’s biggest consumers of Russian natural gas, though they, too, have been taking steps to reduce their dependence on Moscow.
“It comes as no surprise that the Kremlin uses fossil fuels to try to blackmail us,” said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “Today, the Kremlin failed once again in his attempt to sow division amongst member states. The era of Russian fossil fuel in Europe is coming to an end.”
Gazprom said it shut off the two countries because they refused to pay in rubles, as President Vladimir Putin has demanded of “unfriendly” nations. The Kremlin said other countries may be cut off if they don’t agree to the payment arrangement.
Most European countries have publicly balked at Russia’s demand for rubles, but it is not clear how many have actually faced the moment of decision so far. Greece’s next scheduled payment to Gazprom is due on May 25, for example, and the government must decide then whether to comply.
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Russia to Cut Gas to Poland and Bulgaria
(Bloomberg) — Russia will cut off the gas to Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday in a major escalation in the standoff between Moscow and Europe over energy supplies and the war in Ukraine.
Moscow appears to be making good on a threat to halt gas supplies to countries that refuse President Vladimir Putin’s new demand to pay for the crucial fuel in rubles. Europe has said that doing so would breach sanctions and strengthen Russia’s hand.
As payment deadlines start falling due, Poland, followed swiftly by Bulgaria, said on Tuesday that Gazprom PJSC had informed them the gas will stop flowing on Wednesday. In the coming weeks, more companies will have to decide whether to pay in rubles — or risk losing supplies.
European gas prices surged as much as 17% as traders calculated the risk of other European countries being hit next. The focus now turns to other European capitals, particularly Germany, which is heavily dependent on Russian gas. There was no immediate reaction from Berlin.
“Any buyer rejecting the new payment procedure out of hand is running a very real risk of supplies being cut,” said Katja Yafimava, senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.
I wonder if Putin could even keep delivering the gas, given the explosion at the oil depot/pipeline hub.
I wish the United States had to capacity and logistical resources and companies to sell natural gas to Europe.
Maybe it was a foregone conclusion.
The explosion, THEN he decides not to deliver, just to save face....................
We did.................
Dang it! I forgot the sarcasm tag.
Air Biscuit
“…The explosion, THEN he decides not to deliver, just to save face.”
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Nope, what is being cut off is the gas that would be paid for under the dollars/euros to rubles payment regimen.
Gas importers who have shifted to the new payment regime (e.g., a number of the German importers) will continue to have delivery.
He probably dilutes the gas anyway ,LOL
I smell it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yafd9EeVLSk
It's going to be fun when China, the BRICs, and non aligned Nations monkey wrench LNG shipments to Europe.
Hmmm. I seem to remember Trump saying something about this ...
But did he cut the cheese?
And they laughed at him...same old tired story, “Republicans are stupid”.
NO. Let the Euro-Weenies and Euro-Trash suffer for their own stupidity. Ukraine is Europe’s problem. I’m beyond sick and tired of the US being looked upon as “deep pockets” resource to the 3rd world sh!t holes like Europe.
LGB-FJB
The idiots running many of the European countries made a deal with the Devil by becoming willingly dependent of Russian natural gas to heat their homes and run their factories. This dependence was pushed by the Greenies, who may well have been supported directly or indirectly by the Russians. It does not take a genius to know that windmills and solar farms are too fickle to support the demand for electric power in any modern society. The French recognized this and powered much of their country with nuclear power. However the Greenies are screaming loudly to end nuclear power as well as “fossil fuels” and their green alternative energy plans would send Europe back to the Dark Ages. The politicians wanted it both ways, shutting down their country’s own energy resources to placate the Greenies and becoming dependent on someone else, namely Russia, to supply much of their energy. Now the chickens have come home to roost.
Now their chickens have come home to Rooski......................
Poland and Bulgaria give Biden and stooges finger cue gunna getcha song.
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