President Vladimir V. Putin threatened to cut off remaining gas supplies to Europe as the Iran war drives a surge in energy costs.
Russia has a question for the European countries that have shunned its energy exports: Do you miss us now?
The Kremlin is enjoying a sudden resurgence of its importance as a global supplier of oil and gas, as the conflict in Iran disrupts energy production and shipment across the Middle East and sends global energy prices soaring.
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Mr. Putin spoke with bravado about European nations’ longstanding plans to phase out imports of Russian gas in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, threatening to accelerate the divorce himself as prices spike on the continent.
“Now other markets are opening up, and perhaps it’s more advantageous for us to stop supplying the European market right now,” Mr. Putin said on Wednesday to a state television reporter, Pavel Zarubin, who chronicles the Russian leader.
It’s unfortunate and disgusting that the US and Israel action are having an effect on Europe. But Europe should also have done everything in their power to get off of Russian oil years ago when they invaded Ukraine. There was opportunity to protect themselves, and wasn’t fully taken. It’s still fucked that they are affected by someone else’s actions. This should be a wake up call to everyone, but governments seemingly don’t respond well to wake up calls historically.