The same "half of Europe" that goes along with US sanctions and refuses to force Ukraine to deal with reality rather than fantasy?
Yeah, Russia will weep and not even dream of closing the flow through the pipeline I'm sure. They wouldn't dare let Europe deal with the consequences of their own actions.
Ukraine claims it's the best route for a pipeline carrying gas to Europe and must remain the primary route for such natural gas. However, they've routinely siphoned off gas that Europeans were paying for, made demands that were totally unreasonable, threatened to close their section of the pipeline, and actually closed the pipeline so European countries would put pressure on Russia.
If the French and Germans think what Ukraine wants is more important than their own economies, so be it, but Gazprom's reaction to the latest Ukrainian BS makes it clear that Russia is fed up with paying for Ukrainian temper tantrums.
After making sure they can't be blamed for people freezing to death in the EU this winter, I figure Russia will cut all use of the Ukraine route and tell the European countries to work with them on alternative routes or find other suppliers before next winter.
Hell, they may not even wait long enough to ship through the winter if they think Europe has enough gas in storage to make it until about May of this year.
Slamming sanctions on Russia is one of the most stupid things the US has done in the past five decades full of stupid things we've done. China will gladly buy all the gas Russia doesn't ship to Europe with Japan, Korea, and others in Asia standing in line to negotiate delivery pipeline routes and delivery contracts for whatever they can get. The only obviously more stupid thing anyone has done is the EU going along with those sanctions.
JMHo
“” “” After making sure they can’t be blamed for people freezing to death in the EU this winter, I figure Russia will cut all use of the Ukraine route and tell the European countries to work with them on alternative routes or find other suppliers before next winter.”” “”
That’s the whole point. Why do you think there were wars in Libya and Syria? Why there are LNG terminals built in Poland and Baltics?
If I were Russia I wouldn’t give up. I’d address the German people directly over Merkel’s head.
Why should they pay four times as much for hydrocarbons only because someone paid to Clinton foundation to pull these tricks and their beloved commie Chancellor is silent on that.