This is the situation we have today with Ukraine in that Ukraine is not the supplier of any of the gas flowing through those pipes: Russia is. Ukraine and Russia are at war yet Ukraine not only allowed gas to flow — which Russia has to sell to fund itself — but at the same time they've still been getting paid for the transport; exactly what sort of mental gymnastics are involved when you have two nations at war (where both are continuing to engage in commerce with each other's state-owned enterprises) and other nations backing one of the combatants is still simultaneously engaged in commercial transactions with the belligerent they claim is at fault and don't want to win?
I can only surmise what effects this will have on the energy markets in Europe, and whether Ukraine is gambling on this being the key to drawing Europe further into the war with Russia over the matter of energy (banking — correctly, I would argue — that Europe lacks the fortitude to fully decouple from Russian gas given how much they've collectively crippled their own natural energy resources to appease the environmentalist greenies).
We shall see.
Yes, I would have thought that would have been the first thing they would do.
Really?
You’re surprised Ukraine doesn’t collapse the economies of Europe by precipitously shutting off the gas?
How exactly is this perplexing to you...
“This has honestly been one of the most perplexing things since Russia’s invasion began back on February 2022:’
Not perplexing. The Ukes get transit fees for moving that gas. Stop the gas — stop the fees.
Ruskies are bad EXCEPT when they are paying you.
Because Ukraine needs Europe's help to defend itself. And cutting gas off from Europe, hurts Europe as much as it hurts Russia.
Why would Ukraine shut off gas supplies to its European allies? It would have devastating effects on their economies and impact their aid to Ukraine, not to mention the 5 million Ukrainian refugees in Europe.
But, losing one-third of Russia's oil will devastate European nations, many of which will end up paying more for Russian oil through a third party.
Probably because West Europe which Ukraine depends on said if you want any help from us, don't mess with the gas... at least until warmer weather arrives
ZACTLY! I’ve been asking this very question for about a month now! Ukraine is facilitating Russia’s ability to prosecute a war against itself. Either there were a bunch of crooked people or a bunch of profoundly stupid people!
Fossil fuels drive every economy. Pres.Zelenskyy is such a brilliant man, cancelling Russian gas that flow thru pipelines in Ukraine to Europe. Zelenskyy will finally show the world how effective green energy is.
Will the Ukrainian President release the bioweapons housed in Ukraine? Paging Dr. Fauci….
Hi.
Too late.
If I were the Ukraine I would have bombed all three pipelines and blamed it on Vlad.
Hey, western Europe is between a rock and a hard place.
Not that there is anything wrong with that.
5.56mm
5.56mm
perplexed? not me. our gov’t has been paying foreigners to kill us for years.
Idiot Z-ski would love to start ww3 to draw nato into this conflict.Screw Z
Looks to me like a little blackmail to go along with that 600 billion demand for cash
If the Russians don’t kill Zelensky the Germans will.
Why?? Because Ukraine receives fees from the EU countries for any gas that flows through the Ukraine pipe lines. And I’ll bet that it’s a sh**load of money.
If only someone had stepped forward to encourage Europe to curtail their dependence on Russian petrochemicals. Well, some who tweeted more judiciously.
putinsbuttboys; putinworshippers; zottherussiantrolls
Are they accusing Ukraine's GTSOU of worshipping Putin? Of being his butt boy, or being a Russian troll?
It's hilarious and sad at the same time.
Maybe it's the fact that it's Reuters who's the source. Would you prefer the reporting of S&P Global? Or perhaps the Globe and Mail?
My first thought - the EU has coerced Zelensky to shut off the pipe to punish Orban, who is a defiant Conservative in the neo-Marxist EU.
When this entire war started, one of the Russian complaints going back 8-10 years was the pipeline transit fees paid to the Ukraine. Russia is getting closer to ending this war with Ukraine. Without this revenue from Russia energy and loss of the Donbas region, for good, means that their economy is not going to recover the loss of those fees they charged the unhappy Russians. On another note, Russia already said they were going to shut down the pipeline to Europe - maybe this bluster is just the Ukraine trying to spin a happy face on the end of energy going to the EU from Russia via any route.
Dis goan be gud.