The Washington neocons are represented well in the European Commission and it shows. EU has proven to be a colony of USA since 1945 with 67.000 US troops and 120 nuclear bombs on its territory. What's next starting WW 3 to fight a peaceful Russia whose President Putin is defending his nation against USA/NATO aggression. Putin learned from Gorbachev mistakes when he agreed on the merger of West- and East Germany and that NATO-troops 'wouldn't move 1" eastward' Today US/NATO is pushing BAM's and nuclear weapons, US arms, and US CIA/Blackwater agents into Ukraine to defend a Neo-Nazi government in Kiev that murders any opposition and journalists.
The EU is a big incompetent bureaucracy looking for ways to justify their 55.000 + paper pushers by suing their own incompetence. Whether its Microsoft or Google who became large by taking risks and large investments and are the envy of EU or NOW Russia's Gazprom supposedly antitrust action because the EU initially opened the market for 'cheap' energy from Russia and is now for 39% dependent on this energy supply while 35% comes from Norway.This 5% difference doesn't make the difference President Putin does!!!
Again a new EU stupidity and sanction for which the EU consumers have to pay with higher prices. Just to satisfy US geopolitical ambitions in Europe and Russia.
The EU is a big incompetent bureaucracy looking for ways to justify their 55.000 + paper pushers by suing their own incompetence. Whether its Microsoft or Google who became large by taking risks and large investments and are the envy of EU or NOW Russia's Gazprom supposedly antitrust action because the EU initially opened the market for 'cheap' energy from Russia and is now for 39% dependent on this energy supply while 35% comes from Norway.This 5% difference doesn't make the difference President Putin does!!!
Again a new EU stupidity and sanction for which the EU consumers have to pay with higher prices. Just to satisfy US geopolitical ambitions in Europe and Russia.
2
I am not sure that "The difference between Gazprom today and Gazprom five years ago in its ability to think in terms of poker, to simply intimidate other people off the table with sheer resources, is gone.” In fact, "Russia firmly holds one of the leading places on the list of world arms exporters," Medvedev told Duma (the lower house of parliament) in April 2015. Since Cyprus has agreed to a deal allowing Russian ships to use its ports in the Mediterraneum sea, it may be reasonable to presume that they bring their arms to Lybia &co .... And this implies that Russia may still intimidate the UE by fuelling chaos at this boarder ...
1
To me, one of the most important observations in the article was that Putin has routinely used Gazprom "to further Russia’s economic and political interests," which is no surprise. Putin has been willing to use a variety of means, including military force, to further Russia's foreign policy.
Energy is a very potent weapon, and, deftly used, it can produce dramatic results as we have long learned from our experiences in the Middle East, where much of the world's oil seems to be.
It is far too early to count Gazprom, Russia, and Putin out of the game.
Energy is a very potent weapon, and, deftly used, it can produce dramatic results as we have long learned from our experiences in the Middle East, where much of the world's oil seems to be.
It is far too early to count Gazprom, Russia, and Putin out of the game.
Following Putin's conduct ever since, it appears that Russia is led by a 'leader' who urgently needs a prescription of Lithium Carbonate or else he'll wreck the country through and through.
3
LNG is temporarily cheaper than pipes due to fracking - what forced LNG shipping companies to accept lower prices - but long term pipes are still cheaper. Note that Qatar too wants to lay pipes towards Europe: Syria's refusal to allow such a pipe through its territory is often cited as a reason for Qatar's support for the uprising.
Gazprom has linked discounts to politically friendly behavior. So what? The US too has a whole lot of tricks to financially reward friendly behavior. Russia could have used many other ways of rewarding but this was the simplest one. Until recently nobody objected but now suddenly the EU is changing the rules during the match. This looks more like piracy than maintaining anti-monopoly-laws.
Gazprom has linked discounts to politically friendly behavior. So what? The US too has a whole lot of tricks to financially reward friendly behavior. Russia could have used many other ways of rewarding but this was the simplest one. Until recently nobody objected but now suddenly the EU is changing the rules during the match. This looks more like piracy than maintaining anti-monopoly-laws.
1
Total amount of Gas Reserves in Russia versus the Other Countries ? In the long term , that will matter most..not the current scenario..
"...This year, Gazprom’s base price for natural gas was about $330 per thousand cubic meters, the standard unit for gas trading in Europe. Gas offloaded from liquefied natural gas carriers from the Middle East cost about $270.
Prices on those cargoes tumbled after the shale gas boom in the United States dried up demand outside Europe. ..." Imagine what the real price of that gas is. And one has to get an MBA to figure that out?
Prices on those cargoes tumbled after the shale gas boom in the United States dried up demand outside Europe. ..." Imagine what the real price of that gas is. And one has to get an MBA to figure that out?
2
The 21st Century increasingly will be characterized by the use of national advantage or assets as instruments of foreign policy. Russia uses Gazprom, the US uses the USD dominance as a reserve currency and sanctions, the EU uses regulations such as the initiative against Gazprom.
The problem of using assets as instruments of foreign policy is the need to assess carefully the probability of success and the probability of the desired outcome before undertaking the exercise.
It all depends on size and dominance. In this respect the greater the dominance, the greater the success. This is why the US is a devout fan of the use of the USD as an instrument of foreign policy. It has a much better outcome probability index than the messy military interventions that in the final analysis are inconclusive and best or failures at worst.
It will be interesting to watch who will blink first: Russia or the EU. It will tell us a lot about the next twenty years of Europe's and Russia's place in the world.
The problem of using assets as instruments of foreign policy is the need to assess carefully the probability of success and the probability of the desired outcome before undertaking the exercise.
It all depends on size and dominance. In this respect the greater the dominance, the greater the success. This is why the US is a devout fan of the use of the USD as an instrument of foreign policy. It has a much better outcome probability index than the messy military interventions that in the final analysis are inconclusive and best or failures at worst.
It will be interesting to watch who will blink first: Russia or the EU. It will tell us a lot about the next twenty years of Europe's and Russia's place in the world.
1
The Tzar has no clothes, hopefully , and with reality, his cronnies will abondon thear. shirtless wonder.
Russia will not give up the Crimea, rightfully, it is tooo impotant. But the rest nope.
knock on wood Vlads pals squeaze him. Russia deserves respect but..
Ciao
Russia will not give up the Crimea, rightfully, it is tooo impotant. But the rest nope.
knock on wood Vlads pals squeaze him. Russia deserves respect but..
Ciao
2
Any sanctuary action implemented on Gazprom will sufficiently affect life of present Russian elite. At same time population will not feel any big change as the feedback of Gazprom wealth into Russian society is less then invisible. So, this activity seams very effective as sending right message directly to right minds. Sharp.
5
The names have been changed to protect the innocent.-Haven't I read this article a thousand times in the 50 years-- only the names have been changed over time? All countries, including our own, use their natural resources as a political weapon. Nothing new to see here.
5
So to which country do we sell our resources at reduced rates for political gain?
3
How about weapon deals to Israel, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Columbia and Egypt? The carrot takes many shapes.
1
The US also advances its foreign policy goals trough institutions like the World Bank, the G7 and the IMF. Trough NATO it is exporting security at a reduced price, meaning it is allowing for EU countries to spend less on their defense budgets and use the money on other things like health care.
Just think it was not long ago right wingers wanted USA president to bump heads with theirs and for what? The irony, Russia with a nuke arsenal of eight-thousand war heads, but GOP declared Obama not tough enough with Putin. And Iran with zero war heads versus our seven-thousand causes our Congress to wet their pants.
In the end settlements are about who will get the money, as with Russian gas, or Iranian blocked trade - show me the money.
In the end settlements are about who will get the money, as with Russian gas, or Iranian blocked trade - show me the money.
3
We support Ukraine for our lengthy list of corporates, and we are now blaming Russia for doing the same. Pathetic really
9
This is nothing about defending the market vs some monopoly, as the autor of this article suggests:
"But market forces, more than regulatory pressures, are stacking up against the company (GAZPROM), as it struggles to maintain its earnings power and geopolitical heft."
It is about a MONOPSONY or something like it, Europe, vs a MONOPOLY or something like it, Russia.
"But market forces, more than regulatory pressures, are stacking up against the company (GAZPROM), as it struggles to maintain its earnings power and geopolitical heft."
It is about a MONOPSONY or something like it, Europe, vs a MONOPOLY or something like it, Russia.
While Europe is trying to put pressure on Russia, Russia is forced to sell its technology, nuclear included, to countries like Iran. This is really a bad game. If we don't give enough space to Russia to play on, they may play dangerously to rivals like China and Iran. Ultimately it will be bad for the west.
4
Tighten the screws till the crumble. Appeasement never works.
7
Giving Russia space "to play on" is a rather glib way of putting it. Should that space include the NATO member Baltic countries? Should Putin's wistful recollection of the Soviet Union allow for another Imperial Russian Empire?
Putin's aggression so far is very similar to the occupation of the Sudetenland (not long thereafter they took the rest of Czechoslovakia. Belarus has retrograde politics similar to and sympathetic with Putin. Does that suggest another Anschluss? And as was the case before the occupation of Crimea, at present Russia has no land bridge to its military stronghold in Kaliningrad. Do you think Russia should be able "to play on" Lithuania (if an anschluss with Belarus is achieved), or without Belarus, they'd have to play on Estonia (otherwise cut-off and untenable), Latvia, and Lithuania? If so, they would be camped on the Polish border and be tempted to complete the encirclement of Ukraine.
You have offered a foolish idea when the long-term strategic interest for Russia is a better relationship with Western Europe or be squeezed between an unsympathetic EU and China where there's a future threat looming.
It's not unreasonable to imagine a demilitarized Baltic region but the quid pro quo would also require a demilitarized zone in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine and the Russian territory bordering that area.As further deterrence, Ukraine should be able to join NATO, obviously.
Putin's aggression so far is very similar to the occupation of the Sudetenland (not long thereafter they took the rest of Czechoslovakia. Belarus has retrograde politics similar to and sympathetic with Putin. Does that suggest another Anschluss? And as was the case before the occupation of Crimea, at present Russia has no land bridge to its military stronghold in Kaliningrad. Do you think Russia should be able "to play on" Lithuania (if an anschluss with Belarus is achieved), or without Belarus, they'd have to play on Estonia (otherwise cut-off and untenable), Latvia, and Lithuania? If so, they would be camped on the Polish border and be tempted to complete the encirclement of Ukraine.
You have offered a foolish idea when the long-term strategic interest for Russia is a better relationship with Western Europe or be squeezed between an unsympathetic EU and China where there's a future threat looming.
It's not unreasonable to imagine a demilitarized Baltic region but the quid pro quo would also require a demilitarized zone in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine and the Russian territory bordering that area.As further deterrence, Ukraine should be able to join NATO, obviously.
1
If you noticed, Saudi Arabia continues to pump cheap oil, and has enlisted the US against the strategic (economic/military) alliance of the EEU, China, Pakistan, Iran, now Afghanistan, North Korea, India, Kazakhstan and Belarus to support the Sunni war in Yemen by providing 9 naval warships outside Aden to dominate the Iranian navy there to support the Houthis. This confrontation is far from over and may spawn the first naval battle since WWII.
The differences between Gazprom and Ukrainian nationalist oil moguls who became billionaires off baksheesh for the gas and oil pipelines through Ukraine to Europe from Russia spawned the Ukrainian revolution against Russian dominance.
We are now in a cold/hot/proxy war between the West and Russian allies again - but the players have changed. The Russian allies are now Aryan and Eurasian against Semitic and European and American alliances.
The alliances have changed, the world is changed, but we are now again in a hot/cold/proxy war between regional powers for money, military dominance, and cultural power.
SVAHA!
The differences between Gazprom and Ukrainian nationalist oil moguls who became billionaires off baksheesh for the gas and oil pipelines through Ukraine to Europe from Russia spawned the Ukrainian revolution against Russian dominance.
We are now in a cold/hot/proxy war between the West and Russian allies again - but the players have changed. The Russian allies are now Aryan and Eurasian against Semitic and European and American alliances.
The alliances have changed, the world is changed, but we are now again in a hot/cold/proxy war between regional powers for money, military dominance, and cultural power.
SVAHA!
1
Sounds like Russia continues to skew their economy as they did during Communist times albeit then it was with socialist ideology now it's a matter of xenophobic fervor calibrated with Putin spite but with the same result. The Russian people suffer for the whims of tyrants.
7
Large multinational, conglomerate and/or resource firms are always "used" by all sovereigns for various purposes: BP, Exxon, Shell, Aramco, NIO, PetroChina, Pemex, KPC, ADNO, Sonatrach,Total, Petrobras, IOM, QP, Eni, Petroleos, Statoil, Sinopec, NNP, Petronas.
Nothing new here--and Russia is by no means any kind of exception, in fact a smaller international player. Strategic resource firms--energy, IT, transportation, banking, among others--are the back-end of all geopolitical endeavor and the front-end of defense and industry.
Energy market manipulation has obviously been in service to the sanction regime.
Nothing new here--and Russia is by no means any kind of exception, in fact a smaller international player. Strategic resource firms--energy, IT, transportation, banking, among others--are the back-end of all geopolitical endeavor and the front-end of defense and industry.
Energy market manipulation has obviously been in service to the sanction regime.
11
Certainly the official Federal relationship with military contractors, and the way those contractors are effectively built into foreign policy and domestic government budgeting and national politics, is on par with what the article suggests.
And energy services firms to close to the US government? Halliburton anyone? KBR?
And energy services firms to close to the US government? Halliburton anyone? KBR?
5
The alliances have changed, the countries in those alliances have changed, but the purpose has not changed – it is still for money, resources, territory, power and cultural/religious dominance.
The result is always the same – a firefight.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/mylai/
The result is always the same – a firefight.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/mylai/
1
The richest man in the world can't afford shoes? Vlad stole 200 billion from his comrades, maybe he can personally finance his countries deficits.
10
It seems that you don't like President Vladimir Putin. I do.
6
If Middle east gas costs 250 dollars and Russian gas costs 330 dollars ten Europe's answer is to buy all their gas from the Middle East. That is their intention anyhow.
If Ukraine wants to pay below the market price for Russian gas or steal gas from the Gazprom transit lines while not paying their outstanding debts to Gazprom, they should not be aided and abetted by European and the U.S. looking for any and every way to erode Russia..
This whole new argument against Russia is specious and a barely camouflaged continuation of the concerted malice directed against Russia by us in the West in the last hundred years. more so in the last twelve months, because Russia does what it thinks right and decent in the eyes of most of the world.
If Ukraine wants to pay below the market price for Russian gas or steal gas from the Gazprom transit lines while not paying their outstanding debts to Gazprom, they should not be aided and abetted by European and the U.S. looking for any and every way to erode Russia..
This whole new argument against Russia is specious and a barely camouflaged continuation of the concerted malice directed against Russia by us in the West in the last hundred years. more so in the last twelve months, because Russia does what it thinks right and decent in the eyes of most of the world.
14
You're not considering the fact that you need pipelines to import gas from some other country, and that a pipeline cost is not zero.
If only it was that simple. Europe can't buy all its gas from the Middle East, or from Russia for that matter. Because nobody has enough gas to satisfy all of Europe's needs. Europe can only buy a little less from Russia and a little more from the Middle East (and at some point maybe even from the US). To complicate the matters the LNG from Middle East needs a vast distribution infrastructure (port terminals pipelines) to rich the heart of Europe, and this infrastructure still many years and many tens of billions of dollars away from completion.
The mountains of chatter and legal jargon mean nothing. The bottom line is still the same - make for kicking Russia in every which way you can, regardless of rhyme or reason or truth (and the dutiful public will go along with it.)
Europe is openly splitting against these sanctions against Russia and I am glad to see the U.S. people, like many Europeans, have had enough of things queasy done in their names by their governments.
When I think of Russia I think of Tchaikovski, Rachmaninov, Tolstoy, Gogol, Solzenitzin, Timoshenko, whom I studied in my "structures," Nureyev, who died a death like a child removed from his mother, lured by the "West." the Mariinski, Bolshoi, Gagarin, The winning of the war against Nazism, (the same Nazism now lionised by us, anything to get the Russians.) the massive revolution against the one per cent, Lavrov, Putin, Netrebko, Hvordosky, even Sharapoa, courage, indeed most things uplifting for humanity and the human race.
Europe is openly splitting against these sanctions against Russia and I am glad to see the U.S. people, like many Europeans, have had enough of things queasy done in their names by their governments.
When I think of Russia I think of Tchaikovski, Rachmaninov, Tolstoy, Gogol, Solzenitzin, Timoshenko, whom I studied in my "structures," Nureyev, who died a death like a child removed from his mother, lured by the "West." the Mariinski, Bolshoi, Gagarin, The winning of the war against Nazism, (the same Nazism now lionised by us, anything to get the Russians.) the massive revolution against the one per cent, Lavrov, Putin, Netrebko, Hvordosky, even Sharapoa, courage, indeed most things uplifting for humanity and the human race.
1
Another reason to not buy gas from Lukoil in the USA. It all goes back to the Kremlin and works against the free world.
5
The "free world"? How about the banking and corporate enslaved Western world would be a more apt description!
1
“The difference between Gazprom today, and Gazprom five years ago, is its ability to think in terms of poker, to simply intimidate other people off the table with sheer resources, is gone,” he added.
In poker, if there are no other people at the table, then there is no money to make.
In poker, if there are no other people at the table, then there is no money to make.
EUs distrust with Kremlin's Gas business practices will result into diminished Putin's geopolitical influence and cash flow. The loosing party is the Russian people in all of this and in a short term the Ukrainian people. Not too clever from Kremlin who uses the covert operations to exert its power politics with its neighbors.
What would happen if West would totally isolate Kremlin as a punitive measure? Russia has the critical mass to create its own economy, but over time the global economic development would leave Russian development in the dust and eventually we would have a huge disparity between the Western and Russian economies. This is not good for anybody and would potentially promote state sponsored terrorism against the the Western countries like attacks against Western financial systems, industrial espionage/sabotage etc. This would create further isolation between Russia and West.
We are in the beginning of this tailspin scenario, simply because Putin views world differently from Western leaders and he is not backing down. Gazprom is one of the few levers that Putin has to influence the West, but not for long and Putin needs a bigger lever. The bigger lever are the nukes that Putin's military leadership has been flashing constantly. This tailspin is just getting worse!
Putin has some humanity in him - he was the first one to call with regrets when the Malaysian airline was shot down with his Buk's. He also must care about Russian people, or does he?
What would happen if West would totally isolate Kremlin as a punitive measure? Russia has the critical mass to create its own economy, but over time the global economic development would leave Russian development in the dust and eventually we would have a huge disparity between the Western and Russian economies. This is not good for anybody and would potentially promote state sponsored terrorism against the the Western countries like attacks against Western financial systems, industrial espionage/sabotage etc. This would create further isolation between Russia and West.
We are in the beginning of this tailspin scenario, simply because Putin views world differently from Western leaders and he is not backing down. Gazprom is one of the few levers that Putin has to influence the West, but not for long and Putin needs a bigger lever. The bigger lever are the nukes that Putin's military leadership has been flashing constantly. This tailspin is just getting worse!
Putin has some humanity in him - he was the first one to call with regrets when the Malaysian airline was shot down with his Buk's. He also must care about Russian people, or does he?
1
West cannot "totally isolate Russia". West is not the whole world and it is getting more and more so. The economic clout of the West will diminish regardless of what Russia does. It is only prudent of Russia to prepare for this eventuality by disentangling itself from that waning power. Economic sanctions are the best thing to give Russia a head start on this inevitable global realignment.
This is how the Russians operate. They will use a commodity that people need to move countries to their sphere of influence. I often wondered why some Republican politicians admire Putin. It's clear it's his tactics they admire.
2
Is this and the current internal Russian labor unrest the beginnings of the end of Vladamir Putin and his thug tactics?
7
Americans have no room to call anybody a thug. Let me up.
6
Bravo to the EU for taking this stand. Putin's oil revenue is being cut off at the pass. Each month that goes by the European gas markets close up to Russia. There are more ways to skin a Russian cat and this action plus the sanctions will force Putin to face the dire reality that his machinations over the Ukraine and military action is an anachronism in today's world.
Russia is already feeling the financial folly of the annexation of the Crimea.
Does anyone really believe that the Chinese will put up the $50 billion that it will take just to move the pipeline to its border? As more markets open up at even cheaper prices?
The cash position of Russia becomes more tenuous every day as more and more industries close down for lack of worker's wages.
Another military venture? Not really. A nation cannot wage war with goose grease.
Gazprom speak and Putin will listen. Too much is involved.
Russia is already feeling the financial folly of the annexation of the Crimea.
Does anyone really believe that the Chinese will put up the $50 billion that it will take just to move the pipeline to its border? As more markets open up at even cheaper prices?
The cash position of Russia becomes more tenuous every day as more and more industries close down for lack of worker's wages.
Another military venture? Not really. A nation cannot wage war with goose grease.
Gazprom speak and Putin will listen. Too much is involved.
5
Russia is excessively dependent on exports of oil and gas. It is Russia's Achilles heel because it prevents the country from developing a modern industrial base. When was the last time you held something in your hand that said ''Made in Russia''? Russia is falling behind daily.
9
We don't have a modern industrial base right (no pun intended) here in the US of A.
1
I agree with what you're saying. However, I don't recall holding in my hand anything labeled "made in the USA" or Belgium for this matter (except the beer of course). Everything is made in China these days.
8
@mtrav - On the contrary, we have such a modern industrial base that it runs without hardly any workers!
We produce huge amounts of advanced manufactured products at the lowest cost in the world. We just don't do pots and pans any more.
We produce huge amounts of advanced manufactured products at the lowest cost in the world. We just don't do pots and pans any more.
2
What is interesting to me about this article is the indication that the energy starved Chinese are not falling all over themselves to help finance the pipeline from Siberia to China. Why is this?
20
In 30 years Putin will not be around. Realistically, anything can happen 5 years, 10 years 15 years, etc. from now. Near term, there is a lot being developed, not just fields but more tanker facilities which can move around to the next new field.
1
In a way, the article answers your question: because Russia's ability to dictate terms in the natural gas sphere is not what it used to be.
If they played hardball with China, China could simply find a less fickle supplier. China didn't sign up for a long-term gas deal to save Russia-they did it to take advantage of Russia's weak bargaining position-and cheap gas prices. Potential suppliers are more numerous than ever, Russia/Gasprom's financial position is more tenuous now than any time since Russias's last financial crisis, and China is one of the few expanding energy markets that Russia has easy access to. If Chinese financing is slow in coming, or doesn't materialize, Russia has no recourse other than to finance the project.
If they played hardball with China, China could simply find a less fickle supplier. China didn't sign up for a long-term gas deal to save Russia-they did it to take advantage of Russia's weak bargaining position-and cheap gas prices. Potential suppliers are more numerous than ever, Russia/Gasprom's financial position is more tenuous now than any time since Russias's last financial crisis, and China is one of the few expanding energy markets that Russia has easy access to. If Chinese financing is slow in coming, or doesn't materialize, Russia has no recourse other than to finance the project.
8
"socially significant functions and has the status of a strategic government-controlled business entity."
This reminds me of the British East India Company, and the way the British used it to force its will and dominance on other nations.
This reminds me of the British East India Company, and the way the British used it to force its will and dominance on other nations.
12
Good. The EU has the ability to do great economic harm to Russia, and they have little ability to retaliate. Russia is essentially a third world state with nukes and natural resources. Socially and economically they are decades, even centuries behind western Europe. If they think they can start invading and abusing neighbouring countries hopefully this will make them rethink.
34
It sure didn't stop him, did it?
1
But hey, if Boris Yeltsin could throw Russia back 50 years in economic development terms in only 8 years, I'm confident in the EU capacity to catch up with Russia very quickly.
Little ability to retaliate? Russia can stop natural gas flowing to Europe tomorrow and European economy will be finished within a couple of months. If that happens during the winter Europeans will also freeze. End of story for EU.
It appears the West has no intention to try and peacefully settle the Ukrainian crisis with Russia. This is shown clearly by recent actions including the Gazprom lawsuits and tightening sanctions. Russia stated it would take at least six months to manufacture the missile defense system Iran wants to protect its nuclear facilities from bombing. The West badly needs Moscow's cooperation in maintaining sanctions on Iran and keeping them from "going nuclear". You would think the big banks and big business gangsters in London and New York would tell their political henchmen in the U.S. and E.U. to work out a deal quickly with Russia that will satisfy her security and economic needs in return for Russia's help in containing Iran and stopping the further spread of atomic weapons, stabilizing the Middle East, and returning Russia to her traditional role as Europe's first line of defense against Oriental and Moslem incursions into Europe. This needs to happen soon. Give the eastern 5th of Ukraine "autonomy" through a referendum, ditto for Crimea joining Russia, put Ukrainian neutrality and forbid joining NATO in her constitution, work out a free trade deal between Russia and Ukraine, and in return Russia would forgive all debts owed to her by Kiev and guarantee a steady supply of cheap oil and gas. All sanctions against Russia would end immediately. This is a fair and square deal. In return Russia would work with the U.S. and EU to address and redress major world threats. Act now!
13
Why doesn't Putin propose this?
1
Right now, the biggest world threat is Russia. And, unlike Iran, it already has nuclear weapons.
6
I agree. Win-Win. Eastern fifth autonomy referendum makes sense. We
have to live in a rational world. "World War III" is not an option. Putin is very popular with the Russian folk, and I urge that he comes back into the
the tent with the sanctions removed for a mutual face-saving resolution. Please try. The alternative is a deteriorating world that I do not want to leave for my children.
have to live in a rational world. "World War III" is not an option. Putin is very popular with the Russian folk, and I urge that he comes back into the
the tent with the sanctions removed for a mutual face-saving resolution. Please try. The alternative is a deteriorating world that I do not want to leave for my children.
1
very complicated story, however the EU is an equal go afterer. Gasprom now has the distinction of being on the same team as Microsoft, Google, and apple, to name a few. meanwhile the cost of production goes up while the price of oil goes down. not a pretty picture for most energy companies. So why pay attention to Gasprom? The sanctions on Russia because of the Ukranian mess will come off soon. it is the only sensible thing to do.
7
Finally, Putin and his bullies will be confrotned, by regulators?
21
Any which way European Union political leaders can undermine the the Russian economy, even though EU economies are harmed in the process is evidently favored. The effect will be to turn Russia increasingly away from the EU and especially toward China and associated countries, the Russian economy will adjust while the EU increasingly loses Russian commerce and makes no strategic gains against Russia.
EU economic and diplomatic policy is simply perverse.
EU economic and diplomatic policy is simply perverse.
12
Nancy, "EU economic and diplomatic policy is simply perverse." So is invading and stealing a portion of another sovereign country - especially after you have signed an international treaty guaranteeing the spacial integrity of that country in return for its giving up its nuclear weapons.
38
In defense of the EU (which IS worthy of much criticism), the EU has to live with Russia on its doorstep, and with its southern and eastern borders exposed to Africa and the Middle East. And the EU leaders, especially Angela Merkel, just don't seem to get it that the EU needs Greece and Turkey, who would be better off otherwise joining Russia.
4
Russia is engaged in an armed invasion of a country in Europe, i.e., Ukraine. Short of military intervention, economic sanctions are an appropriate response, even if it means inflicting pain on some European countries and companies and even if it means that Russia turns toward Asia. The idea is to discourage Russia (and others) from pursuing armed aggression in the future. Do you have a better idea, or are you saying that Europe should ignore Russia's actions in Ukraine, to avoid the downsides of sanctions?
27
Get with it my Russian bro and sis; as long as you slavishly (no pun intended) follow Pukin you may feel better about your Russian glory, but your lives will descend to the level of the lowest in the world's caste system..
Any how, good luck!