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EU defies gas 'blackmail' as Russia pushes deeper into Ukraine

53 Comments
By Dave CLARK and Emmanuel PEUCHOT

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53 Comments

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Bronco, Russia gas transhipped Ukraine to Europe,80 percent of Europe gas from Russia goes through Ukraine Google Ukraine Stealing Russian Gas

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

If they had just listened when told what would happen if they depended almost entirely on Russia energy, they would not be in this situation.

-10 ( +5 / -15 )

America should restart the Keystone pipeline as it would benefit both Ukraine and the US.

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

If they had just listened when told what would happen if they depended almost entirely on Russia energy, they would not be in this situation.

Kids get bullied. Grown ups can deal with things as they happen.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

America should restart the Keystone pipeline as it would benefit both Ukraine and the US.

Sigh. Canada no longer needs the pipeline. It is shipping their oil by other means. And obtw, the Keystone pipeline was intended to ship oil, not natural gas. A better and more quickly built solution is this, a floating gas terminal located right in an offshore gas field in the Gulf of Mexico.

https://maritime-executive.com/article/new-fortress-advances-plans-for-novel-jack-up-lng-plant-in-u-s-gom

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Putin determined to further impoverish his already impoverished country.

7 ( +14 / -7 )

Sam Waters,all this sand tar oil, would of been a ecological nightmare Google Keystone XL Sand Tar

3 ( +6 / -3 )

"blackmail"

Yeah. Russia asked Poland and Bulgaria to pay in rubles. They refused. No rubles, no gas, Russia said. Hard to see how that is blackmail; perhaps the definition of blackmail has mysteriously changed in the past few weeks.

I think I'll offer to pay my next gas bill in dollars, see what happens there.

-6 ( +10 / -16 )

Israel has been developing oil and gas reserves off its coast in what is called the Levant Basin and is on the cusp of becoming a major energy supplier.

https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/energy-and-infrastructure/article-698808

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/5/20/the-billion-dollar-uae-israel-gas-deal-will-go-forward

0 ( +4 / -4 )

I believe some people saw this coming and warned about German and EU dependence on Russian Energy. I remember Trump precisely warning about this and saying that their dependency on Russian Energy was dangerous and unnecessary. With MLP pipelines and US domestic energy production, the free Europe world would be safer.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Yeah. Russia asked Poland and Bulgaria to pay in rubles. They refused.

Did the contract that they both signed stipulate payment in rubles?

I think I'll offer to pay my next gas bill in dollars, see what happens there.

What if they asked you to pay in rubles?

Actually, you'd probably prefer that.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

I believe some people saw this coming and warned about German and EU dependence on Russian Energy. I remember Trump precisely warning about this and saying that their dependency on Russian Energy was dangerous and unnecessary. With MLP pipelines and US domestic energy production, the free Europe world would be safer.

The US and UK were issuing such warnings as far back as the late 1940s when Stalin started selling Russian oil from the Caspian Sea to European nations, followed later by natural gas.

Currently US gas terminals are working at full capacity loading ships destined for China, which signed 20 year contracts for gas with US suppliers a couple of years ago. About two or three dozen such loads however have been re-routed to Europe as demand for gas in China declined and the price in Europe rose, making the million extra bucks to turn a ship around in the mid Pacific and send it back through the Panama Canal worthwhile.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Poland has spent ten years working to develop alternative sources of natural gas and was planning to be off Russian gas by the end of the year. Cutting Poland off now is not such a hardship for them. The nation that will hurt is Germany.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Actually, you'd probably prefer that.

What does that mean?

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

Israel has been developing oil and gas reserves off its coast in what is called the Levant Basin and is on the cusp of becoming a major energy supplier.

if Israel does become a major supplier, what is the likelihood the Russia/Iran/Qatar gas consortium will include them in their cabal. Israel is reported to have nukes, so they could join Iran and Russia in the nukes club.

Long, long passed times for nations businesses and individuals to find ways to reduce dependence on burning such huge amounts of fossil fuels, in hopes that countries which have been benefitting most from selling their natural resources will not have the same levels of control they currently have. An additional positive of switching away from a fossil economy might be environmental benefits because lower amounts of fuel are being burned we could expect to see a reduction in air pollution, and the planet might also see a reduction in the number of natural disasters resulting from climate change.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

What does that mean?

Doing your bit for the Special Military Operation Effort etc.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Why's everybody always picking on me??? The Russian God of War speaks and the world shakes its oily fists. If these veiled threats ever came to be, it would be the end of Russia and an everlasting stain on the souls of every Russian. This madman and his army of criminals are setting about to subjugate and destroy the world one by one. There is no end until he is declared a War Criminal. Then every singular statement would now and forever begin as "The War Criminal Putin"...

5 ( +7 / -2 )

PT, Israel stole that gas from Cyrus and Lebanon Google Cyprus Lebanon Israel Gas Dispute

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I thought Putin was much smarter than this.

He must be losing it.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

How come all those heroic eco babies suddenly crying? Don’t they shout all the time they don’t want any fossils anymore and have plenty of their loved solar panels, wind turbine parks , EVs and plastic straws replaced by paper ones and that’s all sufficient for their downscaling ‘economies’?

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Doing your bit for the Special Military Operation Effort etc.

Really? Paranoid much? So anyone who won't unquestioningly accept every word of the tsunami of propaganda from the entire west and western media is a Putinbot now?

Just this week the EU said companies may pay for Russian gas in rubles:

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/eu-says-gas-payments-may-be-possible-under-russian-roubles-proposal-without-2022-04-22/

1 ( +10 / -9 )

With Trump now toast Putin has changed tack from gaslighting America to gasmailing Europe. He's running out of options because the capitalist "Empire" WILL strike back hard. And the Russian people must also now do their bit and liberate themselves from their slavish mind-forged manacles that have always blinded them to the truth and freedom. Putin cannot hold on to power much longer and may well end up like Rasputin.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

A Russian civil is brewing in Russia, between the FSB and SVR ,that could lead to Putin demise, Google FSB GVR Feud

0 ( +5 / -5 )

OK its simple and article could be much shorter.

Russia have asked to get paid in rubles thorugh Gazprombank.Anouncement came well in advance.

Now its time to face it.

You pay for gas as requested by supplier-you get your gas.

You dont pay for gas as requested by supplier-you dont get any gas.

Its called a market economy.

Ursula may look into solutions how to provide gas for EU countries from other sources and negotiate for best prices instead of talking crap to media-this crap talk wont help to EU citizens anyway.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

Kids get bullied. Grown ups can deal with things as they happen.

grown ups prevent preventable things.

Kids cry to their mommy.

what is happening now? a lot of crying about "blackmail".

Well how did this situation happen and did someone not tell you it would?

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

@alfie So anyone who won't unquestioningly accept every word of the tsunami of propaganda from the entire west and western media is a Putinbot now?

Of course not, but those who have claimed Russia under Putin is not fascist, while not being critical of the little butcher and his fascism, should raise their hands acknowledging they have given Putin their tacit support. They may not in reality be paid Putin bots, but, based on their comments should expect to be understood to be included as a herd member, a part of Putin's extreme right cult of personality.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

This is good news, actually. Russia shooting itself in the foot. The quicker they shut off gas to the EU, the faster the EU will adapt and rid themselves of business with Russia forever.

Russia, enjoy the next century with China, your only friend.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

It is important to note that what Russia did was refuse to supply Poland and Bulgaria with gas they weren't getting actually paid for. Poland and Bulgaria continue to be getting an ongoing supply of Russian gas, because Germany is actually paying Russia for gas that is getting pumped into Germany, and then pumped from Germany into Poland and Bulgaria.

If Russia really were trying to cut Poland and Bulgaria off from Russian gas, it would have told Germany that if it pumped Russian gas to them, Russia would stop pumping gas to Germany.

Russia is simply making sure that it is getting paid for the gas it is pumping into Europe in response to the US trying to rob it.

-2 ( +8 / -10 )

EU defies gas 'blackmail' as Russia pushes deeper into Ukraine

Ha, when the MSM psyop stories get this blatantly bad you know they’re starting to panic.

Four European natural gas buyers have already paid Russia in rubles for supplies, complying with the country's demand to pay in its official currency, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

Seems like shutting down their world-leading nuclear power program wasn't the smartest move Germany has made in recent decades.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Europe: We want to sanction all of imports coming from Russia.

Russia: Here, let me help you.

Europe: Look at my foot! This gun.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

The places that have to drop oil from Russia will electrify faster now. That's good for the world, even if there are short-term pains for the next 12-18 months. From that perspective, I'm a little jealous. The sooner renewable heating sources are created and renewable electricity happens, the better.

Maybe there will be a 2x jump in solar panel efficiency now that there is truly a need?

I do know the improvements won't come from the US. We have access to oil and natural gas, so the "energy" companies will prevent those govt investments, like they have the last 30 yrs, even though Exxon 100% KNEW that climate change was happening AND how bad it would be in the early 1980s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAAbcNl4Lb8 - Power of Big Oil - Denial Pt1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMe-BYUIPLU - Power of Big Oil - Doubt Pt2

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Putin determined to further impoverish his already impoverished country.

For an impoverished country, they seem to be doing pretty well. The ruble is at a 52 week high. Actually way stronger than before the sanctions even.

The sanctions haven't worked nearly as well this time as back in 2014 because the US wasn't able to flood the market with cheap oil like they did then. Maybe if the US had lined up deals with Venezulea and/or Saudi Arabia beforehand, but they bungled both of those pretty handedly. They had to go hat in hand after the fact and basically got laughed away.

Now countries are boycotting Russian oil by...buying it from Germany instead. Who got it from Russia anyway.

It's an unsustainable farce, but it will let all the EU nations pat themselves on the back and take credit for ending the war after a peace treaty is signed.

-1 ( +9 / -10 )

Yeah. Russia asked Poland and Bulgaria to pay in rubles.

Russia contracted to supply gas with payment in Euros. Russia is in breach of contract.

But then it’s been patently clear for a while now that Russia’s word on anything isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.

2 ( +12 / -10 )

How come all those heroic eco babies suddenly crying? Don’t they shout all the time they don’t want any fossils anymore and have plenty of their loved solar panels, wind turbine parks

I think if you read more carefully you would notice that the more ecologically minded Europeans are calling for the acceleration of renewables. It is established businesses and especially Germany's manufacturing sector who are afraid of losing gas supplies they need for production, and many German politicians worry what happens next winter when it is cold.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Putin definitely got rod rage,the swelling of the face ,is a tell tell sign

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

You dont pay for gas as requested by supplier-you dont get any gas.

The contract for said gas says payment is remitted in US Dollars or Euros. Unilaterally changing the terms of payment to require payment in Rubles then cutting off supplies when the unilateral change is rejected is breach of contract. Gazprom has a lot of assets such as gas stations, pipelines and bulk storage / loading facilities that can be seized as partial compensation.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Why is Ukraine not sending people too Mariupol to extract these people,this is either incompetent or an willfully negligence,they had enough time too train up a response, Zelensky rambling about seizing Russian nukes,at this pace, every major cities will be destroyed Google Zelensky Russian Nukes

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

All energy contracts Germany/Russia are clearly stipulated with payments in euros and on occasion at Gazprom request in dollars to then be converted to roubles by Gazprombank.

Past and present German governments, with the benefit of hindsight, entrusted there energy security, every sector of industry to a now proven war criminal threatening first use nuclear retaliation.

Germany in reality went all out, exposing up to 60% of energy requirements to Moscow whims.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Itson,how American help kill 100 of Russian Google US Intel GPS Coordinates Russian Transport Plane

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Putin is at war and this is seen as somehow too much?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Why is Ukraine not sending people too Mariupol to extract these people

The city is completely surrounded by orcs. Do you seriously imagine that Ukraine is not doing all it can to drive the orcs back?

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Yrral ..

PT, Israel stole that gas from Cyrus and Lebanon Google Cyprus Lebanon Israel Gas Dispute

Israel stealing? Quite a history of that.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Russia doubles fossil fuel revenues since invasion of Ukraine began | Russia | The Guardian

Sanctions clearly working. and Russia's economy clearly imploding....

4 ( +7 / -3 )

yet the ruble is at a 2 year high against the dollar.....which was recently at a 20 year high against the yen.

dont know what that would be called. but thats not "imploding" or "sanctions are working".

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

BL

You can't detect the sarcasm? Did you see that headline I referred to?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Bungle 08:50 am JST

The contract the parties signed was for payment in Euros, genius. Ergo, by changing the terms unilaterally, Russia is in breach of contract.

KniknaknokkaerToday 01:39 pm JST

Heh, Russia has contracts in place that state the gas will be paid for in Euros though.

Lol, the buyers can pay in dollars or Euros and have their banks send the money to a Russian bank for conversion into roubles to pay Gazprom. No problem. The American are opposed to this as it will prevent them from stealing the Russian money and weaken the American grip on the global oil and gas supply.

One of the many points of this war in Ukraine is to separate Europe from cheap Russian energy and make it dependent on the US. The US couldn't give a toss about Europeans or Ukrainians, they just want to maintain their global hegemony through control of oil and gas.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

You can buy Russian gas anywhere in Europe if you pay for it. Otherwise it is shoplifting and theft.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

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