dissident wrote:Russia is still pandering to these haters. It should sell gas at its border. If it is too much bother for the customers and they are afraid for their "energy independence", then they should arrange for other options: LNG and/or pipes from Qatar and Iran.
But at least the right decisions are finally being made not to waste time with the clowns in Brussels.
Synapsid wrote:dissident,
The idea that Russia should sell its gas at its border has been raised here several times, and it seems to me to be the simple and best way. What do you think has kept that from being done?
sparky wrote:It certainly is starting to curtail the wild shopping sprees and shopping holidays
all European countries report a drop in trade with Russia , both for discretionary spending and equipment goods
the fall in value of the Ruble is squeezing spending .
Following a statement by EU ministers who said they wanted Russia to clarify its intentions concerning the South Stream gas pipeline, Russian gas monopoly Gazprom confirmed yesterday (9 December) that the decision to abandon the project is final.
This was a major strategic move by european because Russia has had a history of cutting off gas.
Yesterday on Wednesday the EU negotiated with Gazprom in Moscow. The EU negotiators had three aims:
1. Pressure Russia into extending the special winter pricing on gas supplies to Ukrainian due to end in March,
2. Force Russia to further unilateral concessions by forcing all European energy purchases to happen through a new “European Energy Union”,
3. Pressure Russia to resurrect the canceled South Stream gas pipeline project and build it in accordance with the restrictive rules of the Third Energy Package.
The Russian response was a cold shower.
Firstly, Gazprom said there is no need for a special summer agreement on Ukrainian gas purchases, as a valid contract already exists.
In practice, this means that all the concessions Kiev has received for the winter season are temporary and there is no space for negotiations.
If the EU wants to ensure their gas transits through Ukraine then it must put pressure on Kiev to comply with existing agreements.
If Kiev needs gas it cannot afford to pay – thus endangering transit deliveries to EU countries – it is not Russia's problem.
The same applies to Kiev's gas debts; the EU will have to pay both the Ukrainian gas debts and any future gas purchases.
Secondly, Gazprom announced that the South Stream gas pipeline project is dead and will not be realized. The project collapsed under US and EU pressure.
The greatest obstacle turned out to be EU's Third Energy Package. It places heavy restrictions on how Gazprom could use its own pipeline; Gazprom could only use 50% of South Stream capacity and would have been forced to offer the remaining 50% to third parties.
Although all the agreements between Gazprom and the various transit and consumer countries were made before the Third Energy Package entered into force, the European Commission now demands that it is applied retroactively.
Russia's solution is as follows: Gazprom will build the pipeline to Turkey and extend it to the Turkish-Greek border. The pipeline will end in a gas distribution hub near the EU border.
If the EU wants to buy gas, it will have to build a pipeline to Turkey at its own expense. It will also need to expand the gas transport capacity between its South European member countries – and do so under the constraints imposed by its own Third Energy Package.
The final punch to EU arrogance was Gazprom's declaration that after the completion of the gas hub and the Turkish pipeline Gazprom will end all gas transit through Ukraine. Russian gas will only be available through Turkey!
Alfred Tennyson wrote:We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Tanada wrote:The EU is not the only customer of a captive Russia and they need to get their heads wrapped around that fact. China, India, Japan, Korea and points close to those are the future customers who Russia is courting today. If the EU wants to play hard ball they will discover Russia has sold the ball east instead of west, with people who appreciate their suppliers.
pstarr wrote:The geniuses at NATO just bombed the Syrian pipeline today.
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