MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Putin is losing Eastern European energy gamble
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he doesn't think the European community can do without the natural gas it gets from energy monopoly Gazprom. With a Russian economy starting to decline, however, it may be Gazprom that's too strongly interconnected to the European market to break free. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesRussia should wait until November and then redefine the meaning of “cold war”...
Apr 28th, 2014 - 08:33 am - Link - Report abuse 0the rusky coffers will be empty by then
Apr 28th, 2014 - 08:44 am - Link - Report abuse 0You will empty them, I assume...
Apr 28th, 2014 - 08:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0nah... they will do that job themselves..
Apr 28th, 2014 - 08:47 am - Link - Report abuse 0And you will pay for the Ukrainean gas bill. Like you are paying for Romanian “tourists”. Enjoy.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 08:52 am - Link - Report abuse 0i can afford it
Apr 28th, 2014 - 08:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0You will have to :)
Apr 28th, 2014 - 08:54 am - Link - Report abuse 0its more that I want to, it gives me great satisfaction helping people, makes you less bitter inside , try it some time lad
Apr 28th, 2014 - 08:59 am - Link - Report abuse 0Great!
Apr 28th, 2014 - 09:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0Hope your society can afford cheap Polish workers as well. They come in masses...
;)
There's plenty of LNG around. The USA will allow ours to be exported to the EU if push comes to shove. We are sitting on 300 yrs of supply and they've stopped drilling for it here.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 10:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0I don't think this is going to end well for Putin or the Russian people.
Stevie, I see the protests are still alive in Venezuela. I thought you told me they were over a month ago?
Like Think, you are never right about anything.
dufus.
US LNG is a very short termed solution and a very expensive one at that, yanqui.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 10:56 am - Link - Report abuse 0You have no idea what this mess means to Europe and you act accordingly...
The EU is already paying a pretty high price for Nat Gas, paying the same as Japan for a little while won't kill them.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 11:09 am - Link - Report abuse 0Plus it would speed up our LNG export approvals. The policy/process is out dated and needs to go.
Russia couldn't last very long without its fuel exports. It would collapse in short order.
If they are going to do it they need to get to it. As you said it is much better to do it now than in Nov. when they really need the gas.
The very idea of substituting a pipeline that supports 30% of the Euro energy consumption with transported LNG from USA, is quite hilarious...
Apr 28th, 2014 - 11:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0You seem to think it's all about USA and its needs. The European population (apart from this lot) has little to no interest in joining USA and NATO, using the EU as the trampoline, in their dive into the ocean of excuses...
From the UK's point of view, fracking in the Forest of Bowland could provide a major source of gas for Germany as well as ensuring that the UK was self-sufficient.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 11:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0There's no chance that the current UK government would want that to occur.
Not many things are done in such despair as fracking is. I told you before, it's like a heroine addict looking for a vein on his balls...
Apr 28th, 2014 - 11:19 am - Link - Report abuse 013. Most of the EU is already part of NATO so I don't get what you are saying.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 11:49 am - Link - Report abuse 0Its probably just another post I'll be able to refer to that show what a complete and utter fool you are.
Joining NATO in their dive, not joining NATO altogether, yanqui...
Apr 28th, 2014 - 11:58 am - Link - Report abuse 0You are literally mentally challenged, and still calling people fools...
yeah okay. How's your prediction on Venezuela going? It's been another month and all I see are more protests and longer lines to buy toilet paper.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 12:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You are Think2, your posts make little to no sense and are filled with delusions of the way you think the world works but month after month year after year you are proved wrong.
My guess is you are due for another meltdown
any day now
blimey, doesnt steve bite easily
Apr 28th, 2014 - 12:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You see more protests?
Apr 28th, 2014 - 12:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Wow...
The rest of the world sees less and less.
And more and more people getting upset with the disturbances the protests causes.
Upset with the protesters, that is...
Your predictions yanqui, are all according to public opinion. Inexistent and of no value. At all.
Talking about the production of tooth picks would be of more relevance, regardless topic.
Not to mention interesting.
lol perfect timing
Apr 28th, 2014 - 12:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 020. Hahaha jealous much Think2?
Apr 28th, 2014 - 12:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Enough blah blah from you to conduct a hot ait balloon, yanqui.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 12:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Only the trip itself could provoke something that reminds of jealousy...
Think2, Your Socialist Utopias have been show to be nothing more than an engine to make the masses poorer and the Pols richer.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 12:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0They are ending and it is making you mad
tick tock tick tock
meltdown imminent
yours and theirs
Look at Ukraina. iev sending the military at their own people.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 01:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Not exactly what is happening in Venezuela, is it...?
;)
Think2 I am wondering which meltdown will occur first, yours or theirs?
Apr 28th, 2014 - 01:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Your last one was pretty spectacular and hilarious.
Did they up your lithium?
You know it makes you incontinent
That's why CFK keeps falling down at night as she is trying to make it to the loo.
Putin has chosen to ignore the complexities of the globalised economy. He is playing a game of chicken with an adversary more than 10x his size. Russia will lose this confrontation on every front.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 01:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@ Stevie
“it's like a heroine addict looking for a vein on his balls...”
Does this logic apply to Vaca Muerta?
Why do you mock Nightingales intergrationalist sentiment, when it is exactly the same sentiment you have expressed for South America?
Ukrainians aware they are in a desperate bind to confront the Putinist juggernaut that would lead them to being merely a vassal state in Putin's Neo-Russian Empire.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 01:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Even amongst some of those pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine oblasts/provinces, the preference would be for some form of independence within Ukraine - they don't all want to be a cog in Putin's wheel.
Otherwise, for many Ukrainians (especially in West and Central oblasts), being a cog in a more-liberal European Union is much preferable and they don't look to being a France or Germany, but to Poland as the most realistic attainable vision. And while Poland isn't doing great, its doing lots better then Ukraine.
So fracking, alternate energy production, “reverse pipe” from currently LNG-surplus European countries, conservation - all are being evaluated and some attempted in Ukraine.
At the end of the day, if Putin steals Crimea from Ukraine, Ukrainians could try to turn some screws on Russia - including the current threats of withholding water and energy from Crimea.
New Russian Gerard Depardieu owns thousands of Crimean vineyard acres and without water, his vines will only be suitable for ploughing-under. Tant pis, Gégé...
Gerard Depardieu, gads what a stupid disgusting pig that guy is!
Apr 28th, 2014 - 01:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0There's not going to be too much left in France as most of the CAC is “merging” and getting out of the country.
France is is deep doo doo
Brasil is buying up lots of LNG at the moment to ensure they can keep the lights on during the World Cup. Latin American prices are already pushing up towards Japanese prices - if the EU starts buying as well then Argentina's next tender will be pricey.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 02:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Putin must feel worried to bring up the Gas. Looks like the very limited sanctions and uncertainty in the economy could actually be doing something.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 02:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@26 Trouble with Stevie is that he doesn't understand “indirect” effects and he is incapable of looking too far ahead. Let's take his denigration of NATO. NATO is a military alliance of 28 nations. How can it “take a dive”? And it's so “ineffectual” that Putin is afraid of it. Wouldn't you think a major military power would have no problem existing alongside such an alliance? Except that Russia is no longer a major military power. Big, yes. But the U.S. alone is three times its size. And Putin knows that he could be hit from EVERY direction. But we shouldn't worry about him. Hitler had a similar point of view. He did okay for a while. And then we all pulled together. Australians, British, Canadians, South Africans, New Zealanders, French, Belgians, Dutch, Danes, Norwegians, Swedish, Maltese, Indians, Yugoslavs, Greeks, Czechs and Americans. It's strange how Stevie discounts transported LNG. Remind me how argieland gets its LNG. Back during WW2 the Allies had something called PLUTO. Pipe Line Under The Ocean. It pumped fuel not gas. What about pipelines from Canada to Greenland, Greenland to Iceland, Iceland to Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland to mainland UK. Maybe they already exist. Wonder how Stevie feels about the relocation of argie nuclear “facilities” to the north. Which way does the wind blow? Could waste from a nuclear explosion head for Uruguay? Why is Putin saying that Europe can't manage without Russian gas. Because he knows it can? Because he's desperate for Ukraine to pay its gas bill? Because he's on the edge?
Apr 28th, 2014 - 02:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0#32: Indeed, NATO is now re-invigorating its plans for collective security and while Finland, Sweden and Ukraine are not currently NATO members, they participated in 2013 exercise Steadfast Jazz: http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-70CABE49-11886860/natolive/news_104086.htm?selectedLocale=en
Apr 28th, 2014 - 03:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Sweden and Finland are doing a complete review of their defence policy in light of Russian actions in Crimea, and because of Russian bomber practice runs approaching Sweden last fall: http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-70CABE49-11886860/natolive/news_104086.htm?selectedLocale=en
I think the shipping solution to replace sanctioned (but needed) Russian pipelined gas is a stop-gap but not a serious proposition.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 05:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Sanction are no more likely to bring Russia 'to heel' than it has proven in Iran to stop the development of plutonium enrichment.
The only way to have done this with Iran was the Israeli way ... and who is seriously proposing that a pre-emptive strike on Russia is the way?
No, back-channel diplomacy is the only way that might work.
We must hope that it is taking place and that it is largely effective.
It certainly must have taken place with the handing over of The Crimea to Russia.
There must also have been some sort of agreement quid pro quo that Russia keeps its troops out of Eastern Ukraine.
What we are seeing is Ukrainian Russian supporters 'dancing with wolves' at the Russian bidding. Mighty foxy of Putin.
I read an article today that they know where Putin has his fortune ( est U$70B!!) hidden but they don't want to “escalate” this by freezing the assets.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 05:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Yet.
All these dictators are such scumbags.
#34: Indeed foxy of Putin and he has been preparing his Crimea and Ukraine gambit for a very long time, probably about 10 years according to Schofield (link below).
Apr 28th, 2014 - 06:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0His Crimea military contingency plan worked very well with insignialess-“polite green men” Spetznaz according to some, almost without killings. Then the “referendum” deemed unlawful by OSCE and even UN General Assembly majority, but approved by Russia's hand-picked observers.
Might have been back-channel diplomacy that led leaders to think they could get Russia to go along with Geneva Agreement but that fell apart within hours of signing. Always back-channel stuff going on but may be up against a brick-wall: Putin wants his Neo-Russian Empire and if you let him have it, he *might* let you alone.
Putin's gameplan seems to hinge on the Ukrainian pro-Russians doing the heavy-lifting of selective murders, kidnappings, beatings of pro-Ukraine rallys, intimidation.
Putin wants to create “facts on the ground” in Eastern Ukraine that will ideally (for Putin) cancel the presidential election on 25 May and at same time, hasten “referendum” for Eastern Ukraine to allow pro-Russian separatists to manufacture consent for return of the area to Russia.
Today's attempted murder of Kharkiv Mayor Hennady Kernes and beatings of pro-Ukraine rallyers in Donetsk, is really bad news - mean by the thugs to provoke violent Ukraine response.
But thats what Putin needs to keep in play his plan. All Ukrainians can do is to play an “intifada” card of somewhat peaceful protest. Tough to do when thugs are breaking heads, shaming, embarrassing, and some selective killings.
Schofield:
http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/04/27/3815946/russian-propaganda-campaign-finds.html
Putin was of course a previous head of the FSB and he knows how to keep large numbers of people under control and to do his bidding.
Apr 28th, 2014 - 09:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I do hope the gas situation “blows up in his face” but a cornered fox is a dangerous animal and it takes a pack of hounds to deal with it.
I don’t see enough hounds yet.
This is just my opinion-
Apr 29th, 2014 - 07:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If Russia cuts of the gas to its European customers,
Then in the short term thousands would die, especially over the winter months,
And Russia would most probably gain extra gas it wont sell, thus saving some pennies at the expense of the old and infirm,
So a win for Russia perhaps,,
But in the long term,
After the poor have suffered and the politicians get it in the neck , and forced to get supplies elsewhere, perhaps the Americans who can now export gas,
Thus although it might take longer to get, and maybe or maybe not more expensive,
But when the Europeans are forced to find gas elsewhere and succeed and thus no longer dependent on Russian gas,
Then Russian business will lose out heavily, and may well be left with something no one wants,
After all once a new source has been found when why would they go back to Russia,
And thus Russian power over supplies of gas would end, would it not,
So a loss for Russia..
Just a thought..
.
Better start looking for gas then, Briton...
Apr 29th, 2014 - 10:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Yep..
Apr 30th, 2014 - 12:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Politically, for Russia to cut gas to European customers would strike a huge blow against the Russian economy, as well as its future integration into Europe.
Apr 30th, 2014 - 05:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Not to say Putin isn't thinking about a cut because currently there is less support in Russia now for integration into Europe and the prospect of a major economic down-turn in Russia could be a segue into an isolationist Neo-Russian Empire that attempts to confine economic ties to “friends” in China, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Kazakhstan, South Ossetia, Armenia, etc.
However, for Europe, including Ukraine, this cold-water shower (pun intended) by Russia is leading to discussions about a new European energy world, where a broad basket of highly-polluting energy sources (brown coal), lightly polluting sources (gas, LNG), challenging sources (nuclear) and renewables are being fluffed-up for examination:
Ukraine's Renewable Energy Production Potential Remains Largely Untapped: http://seekingalpha.com/article/2176093-ukraines-renewable-energy-production-potential-remains-largely-untapped
'Hurt Russia by helping Ukraine': http://seekingalpha.com/article/2176093-ukraines-renewable-energy-production-potential-remains-largely-untapped
Better understanding Russia and Putin.
May 01st, 2014 - 01:58 am - Link - Report abuse 0Russia sees fit a buffer zone between NATO and itself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL8cNo0Lusw&list=UUZNjpcQLBx26W6lDWvpg7PQ
Russia understands that there is not much more than it expand its gas into Europe. They are betting in the markets of Far East Asia
their is much to come from this conflict,
May 01st, 2014 - 10:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0as it takes its course.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/30/ukraine-government-lost-control-east-acting-president
May 01st, 2014 - 01:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Is that...? Is that the muppet “President” talking?
Will USA accept him as a refugee?
Any bets?
Being a muppet may be an silly insult but is no crime. However being a corrupt murderer is a crime and it is such crimes with which ex-President Yanukovych is being investigated:
May 01st, 2014 - 03:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-yanukovych-behind-protest-deaths/25320039.html
Even if Eastern Ukraine oblasts fall to combined onslaught of Russian and pro-Russian forces, Ukraine's Western and Central provinces will likely continue support of Maidan and transitional government.
Yanukovych is already a refugee and will likely spend his last days at his $50 million Moscow mansion. Ukraine is best rid of such a thieving criminal, at least if you believe the Guardian:
http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-yanukovych-behind-protest-deaths/25320039.html
Sure John, present that plan to the European popuation, a “free” western (read poor) Ukraine backed by EU while USA ships expensive gas. To the EU nations.
May 01st, 2014 - 04:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0All so USA can surround Russia.
Sorry, I meant Nato...
That's what you lot support with your cash, and then you cry and call us communists because we choose to spend it on the poor...
Hahahaha
Until Belarus, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China join NATO, Russia doesn't have to worry about being surrounded by USA.
May 01st, 2014 - 06:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Then again, the way that Putin's Neo-Russian Empire is creating concern even amongst those countries (none of them actually voted for Russia's annexation of Crimea at UNGA), could be that the only friendly boundary for the NRE could be North Korea's 17 kms border (DPRK did vote for Russia): http://goo.gl/maps/1GZwJ
John-John
May 02nd, 2014 - 08:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0Nobody had to vote for Crimea except the Crimeans.
What good did it do or those who voted against Crimea becoming Russian?
Today a helicopter gets shot down, and ended in death,
May 02nd, 2014 - 12:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0what next,,,,
if expansion is not stopped, they may well go further ,
boy--it might even give CFK ideas.
Next is you paying for western Ukrainean “democracy” and further social dumping in the UK.
May 02nd, 2014 - 03:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Enjoy.
Russia's rationalizations for its invasion of Ukraine's Crimea are based on American actions in Irak and other theatres of American military incursions or influence.
May 02nd, 2014 - 04:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0However, each issue has to stand on its own and using American history to make excuses for Russian current efforts to redraw European boundaries while seeking to maintain Ukraine as a vassal state, will be a problem for both Russia and for the world that must confront this Neo-Russion Empire.
Unlawful events in Crimea, shooting down of helicopter probably with RPG-30, really puts into perspective Russian protesting that Ukraine military shouldn't be active in Ukraine (while Russians have thousands of military at alert in Russia just a few kms from border.
As Briton notes, CFK has been supporting Putin, even while Argentina absented itself from the UN vote against Russia, suggests she is wanting Argentina to play an exploitative role in this and yes, I would think that RAF Mount Pleasant may be monitoring Argentine military actions even more carefully then they usually do.
Updates on Ukraine crisis:
http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-liveblog-day-74-helicopters-shot-down-in-slavyansk/
Ukraine Military Assault: Many Killed
May 02nd, 2014 - 05:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Two helicopters are shot down and a number of troops killed as Kiev strives to re-take towns from rebels.
http://news.sky.com/story/1253586/ukraine-military-assault-many-killed
the two-week-old Geneva agreement on cooling Ukraine's crisis.
Is finished says putin.
///////////
enjoy says stevie,
lets see if you enjoy when it all goes wrong.
You are witnessing a coup d'etat going wrong.
May 02nd, 2014 - 06:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The one in Kiev.
No need to wait...
Ah,
May 02nd, 2014 - 06:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0But what if…
http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140501/DEFREG03/305010024/Report-China-Russia-Plan-East-China-Sea-Drills
Report: China, Russia Plan East China Sea Drills
China and Russia will carry out joint naval exercises in the East China Sea later this month, state media reported
mmm
.
A bear AND a dragon...
May 02nd, 2014 - 08:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What can I say... That's your problem, now, isn't it?
We'll watch.
Russia's resurgent military cooperation with Venezuela and Cuba may be making waves amongst US Defence Dept analysts.
May 02nd, 2014 - 09:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0For China, cooperation with Russia appears to be more commercial and less ideological. For example, Russia-China cooperation on cutting a canal through Nicaragua: http://goo.gl/FpTcpp
Argentina's current narrative that Falkland Islands is no more than a NATO outpost may bring Russian military into South Atlantic waters, which will no doubt also occasion some shift US Southern Command military assets and further cooperation with UK and NATO in the region.
What can I say... That's your problem, now, isn't it?
May 03rd, 2014 - 07:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0A Chinese takeaway perhaps, mmmm tasty.
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!