The European Union bans the import of Russian coal. But we still send billions of kroner to Russia.
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Policies that were not planned until recently are in line with becoming a reality after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Thursday The European Union decided To ban the import of Russian coal.
It is said that oil is next. Now we’re getting close to what’s really hitting Russia.
For the Ukrainian authorities this is “blood money”. Since the beginning of the international war EU bought Russian energy of more than 330 billion kroner.
employment Instagram A Ukrainian mother posted a photo of her young daughter from the early days of the war. On the back are names and contact information written in ballpoint pen. The mother wrote in case the parents were killed and the child survived.
– And Europe is still discussing gas, wrote the journalist Anastasia Lapatina in the Kyiv Independent satirically. The photo was posted on Twitter.
The journalist is right. This trade must end.
But Europe starts with the simplest.
The coal purchase ban will not take effect until August. And coal, Europe has large amounts of the same. Russia, for its part, can sell coal (and oil) to other countries, such as China and India.
On the other hand, Russian gas is the most important market in Europe. Because this gas mostly goes in huge pipelines to the west.
At the same time, Europe desperately needs it. Russian gas sales have increased since the outbreak of the war. Countries will fill their stocks before winter. The need is great. Prices are expected to remain high throughout the year.
Europe is so dependent that it cannot afford to penalize gas, Rystad Energy’s Carlos Torres Diaz said in a Montel-sponsored webinar Thursday.
On social media, Europeans are portrayed as luxurious animals who cannot live without air coolers or tablet heaters even if Ukrainian children are raped and murdered.
But it is not easy. Without Russian gas, Europe could become cold and dark. Now, the governments of many countries have felt compelled to help citizens with exorbitant energy bills.
And it would be worse if Europe could not buy Putin’s gas.
Countries least dependent on Russian energy are the most difficult to demand a boycott. Poland and the Baltic states cut imports from Russia. The United Kingdom and the United States decided early on to boycott Russian oil.
But these countries were smart enough not to rely on a dictator to be able to cook potatoes.
The same does not apply to Germany, Italy and Central and Eastern European countries. They depend on Russian gas.
Denmark – which is itself a gas country – also depends on gas imported through Germany. They have now drawn up a contingency plan for what will happen if gas from Russia stops.
according to ritzao They listed 50 companies that are first in line to have to sacrifice if the gas is choked.
Hence, it means stopping or limiting work.
This is not clear for Ukraine either. Buying coal and oil is undoubtedly something they want to stop. But the country has significant revenues from shipping Russian gas to Europe via gas pipelines.
It’s tough in Germany, too. Without Russian gas, they would have one Regression in value creation and closing in the industry. Jobs disappear, people become unemployed, Germans get worse advice and more freeze.
There is a failed energy policy behind it. They did not rely solely on the power supply of the dictatorship. Even Germany shut down nuclear power.
Coal power is now running at full speed. Germany has huge reserves of coal. This will lead to an increase in climate emissions.
In addition, more renewable energy sources will be built. The internal temperature should be lowered. The United States will sell more gas to Europe. Norway has also done its best to increase production.
German authorities argue against asphyxiating Russian gas, as it would harm them as badly as the Russians.
We are more likely to imagine a gradual weaning than a hiatus, says Carlos Torres Diaz at Rystad.
But it is not certain that Europe will have a choice. Because at the same time that the European Union stops buying energy from Putin, the dictator threatens to turn off the taps if he does not get paid in rubles.
Then he asks if he dares. It is in any case the eventual closing of the Russian cranes.
Most people understand that now. You cannot trade with such a man. It is only a matter of time.
It is truly absurd that Europe is still paying the price for Putin’s wreckage of Ukraine.
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