Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Putin’s Energy War Is Crushing Europe
Foreign Policy ^ | SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 | Christina Lu

Posted on 09/23/2022 9:31:02 AM PDT by Mount Athos

Factories, businesses, and families across Europe are battling for survival as Russia’s chokehold on the continent’s natural gas supply sends prices to astronomical heights, unleashing a brutal economic storm that has tested European solidarity about Russia’s war in Ukraine and fueled fears of an impending recession.

Crushingly high energy prices have soared to 10 times their average level throughout the past decade, leading to spikes that have throttled industries and left households scrambling to pay their bills.

From the energy-intensive aluminum industry to fertilizer manufacturers, companies across Europe have been forced to slash production or even go bankrupt in the face of eye-watering prices. To shield households and businesses from greater pain, governments have funneled hundreds of billions of dollars into subsidies.

Mounting economic losses have “brought these companies financially to their knees,” Munton said. Without relief, he added, “At some point, things do reach a breaking point, and that’s sort of where we’ve got to.”

“There is a mass of people forming that are scared of what’s going to happen in the upcoming winter, and they are afraid not only because of the energy prices but also the rise in inflation that we have had over the last year [in the Czech Republic],” Jan Kovar, deputy director of research at the Institute of International Relations Prague, a think tank, told Foreign Policy.

Public frustration is already boiling over in the United Kingdom, Moldova, Germany, Austria, and Italy, as protests erupt over skyrocketing energy costs and fuel concerns of wider unrest. In Prague, as many as 70,000 people poured into the streets in early September in a “Czech Republic First” demonstration against rising energy prices as well as to demand greater government action.

As ire against skyrocketing energy bills grows, European solidarity wilts.

(Excerpt) Read more at foreignpolicy.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Germany; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: 2014coupaggression; 50percentukearmydead; agitprop; agitproponly2idiots; antirealitybidenbots; azovfascistsonfr; azovlovertrollsonfr; bidenlovertrollsonfr; bidenworshippers; chechens; chechnya; deadazovbuttboys; deadnaziukes; deadrussianhomos; deadrussians; deadukehomos; deathtochechnya; deathtoputin; deathtorussia; delusionalsystem; fascistazovbotsonfr; hh2; natoaggression; nazoaggression; neoconaggression; ntsa; oyvey; pedoforazov; pedosforazov; pedosforputin; pedosforzelensky; putinlovertrollsonfr; putinsbuttboys; putinworshippers; russia; russianaggression; russianhomos; russiansuicide; scottritter; ukraine; ukrainianhomos; vladimpalingeurope; vladtheimploder; whybidenhomoshere; whybidenhomosnotban; whyishenotbanned; whyishestillhere; worldwidedepression; zotprobidenhomosonfr; zottherussiantrolls; zotzelensky
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-77 next last

1 posted on 09/23/2022 9:31:02 AM PDT by Mount Athos
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Mount Athos

If this gets western culture to realize that “going green” has become suicidal, then it will be a good thing.


2 posted on 09/23/2022 9:32:51 AM PDT by Magnum44 (...against all enemies, foreign and domestic... )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Magnum44

Europe green energy in action:

https://twitter.com/peterktodd/status/1572517713305817089


3 posted on 09/23/2022 9:34:39 AM PDT by Mount Athos
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Magnum44

They will not learn. They will eat the bugs, own nothing and be happy.


4 posted on 09/23/2022 9:35:18 AM PDT by packagingguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

I.)

Wave Of German Insolvencies Picks Up Speed…”Tenfold Increase in Gas, Electricity Prices”

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/09/11/wave-of-german-insolvencies-picks-up-speedtenfold-increase-in-gas-electricity-prices/

II.)

European Union President Proposes Cutting Off Electricity to Consumers to ‘Flatten the Curve’

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4093184/posts

III.)

Europe’s vegetable farmers warn of shortages as energy crisis bites

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/europes-vegetable-farmers-warn-shortages-energy-crisis-bites-2022-09-22/

IV.)

Theres a Massive Energy Crisis Happening in Europe. Will It Affect Travelers?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/theres-a-massive-energy-crisis-happening-in-europe-will-it-affect-travelers/ar-AA126VHa


5 posted on 09/23/2022 9:36:31 AM PDT by Its All Over Except ...
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mount Athos

Notice most of the plants are brown. Winter will be fun for sure.


6 posted on 09/23/2022 9:37:03 AM PDT by packagingguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Mount Athos
skyrocketing energy bills grows

Global energy prices are falling. WTI crude is $78. Down 8% this week.

7 posted on 09/23/2022 9:40:36 AM PDT by Poison Pill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mount Athos

Mark


8 posted on 09/23/2022 9:45:53 AM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mount Athos

“Putin’s Energy War Is Crushing Europe”

For that reason Russia won’t need to deploy nuclear.


9 posted on 09/23/2022 9:46:17 AM PDT by cymbeline
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Magnum44

Europe has simply GIVEN the Russians control over their energy supply, an it never had to be. Mainland and offshore localities would have easily assured more than adequate energy supply to meet all their current and upcoming needs, and allow room for expansion all at the same time.

Nowhere have I heard that fracking is even considered in the European countries, and yet it seems to be the cost-effective way of sustainable and adequate supplies of energy. Why is the technique not used? The development work has already been done, and could be easily adapted to European conditions.


10 posted on 09/23/2022 9:48:03 AM PDT by alloysteel (A born skeptic is now living in a target-rich environment. SO many beliefs to challenge...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Mount Athos

“Putin’s Energy War...”

They need to call it like it is: “Europe’s Boycott of Russian Energy...”

If they end their boycott (they call it sanctions) they’ll get energy. But they don’t seem to want to end it. LOL.


11 posted on 09/23/2022 9:48:23 AM PDT by BobL (By the way, low tonight in Latvia: 38 degrees)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Magnum44

> If this gets western culture to realize that “going green” has become suicidal, then it will be a good thing. <

Eventually this whole Ukraine mess will settle out. But I’ll bet you a Euro that the any lessons learned will soon be forgotten. All it would take is a speech or two by Greta Thunberg. And maybe another faked Climate Change study.

Then the green weenies will slide back to their old ways.


12 posted on 09/23/2022 9:49:44 AM PDT by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Mount Athos

They’d better buy a bunch of those ‘Made in China’ winter clothes and boots.


13 posted on 09/23/2022 9:49:53 AM PDT by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: alloysteel

“Nowhere have I heard that fracking is even considered in the European countries”

Actually the UK, under Liz Truss (of all people), just approved it.

So, ever so slowly, Putin’s lesson to Europe on being RESPONSIBLE about energy policies is starting to sink in.


14 posted on 09/23/2022 9:50:48 AM PDT by BobL (By the way, low tonight in Latvia: 38 degrees)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: alloysteel

Nowhere have I heard that fracking is even considered in the European countries


Britain is talking about fracking but it will no doubt be fought by the Kremlin’s agents. They have a history going back to the Cold War supporting the leftist nutcake “environmental” movement. It is this corruption precisely which President Trump wants to kick out of Europe.


15 posted on 09/23/2022 9:54:30 AM PDT by lodi90
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Magnum44

1) Going Green
2) Depending on natural gas from The Bear


16 posted on 09/23/2022 9:54:38 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (“I used to be nothing but a Deplorable Clinger, but I've been promoted to Brigadier Ultra-MAGA”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: BobL

They don’t have the will and fortitude to continue the boycott and everyone knows it.

Time is on Russia’s side.


17 posted on 09/23/2022 9:55:02 AM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Poison Pill

How is that fact relevant to this situation for Europe at all?

It isn’t.

If you can buy natural gas cheaply in America or China, that does not help Europe one bit. The primary issue is gas not oil, and it can’t be shipped cheaply or easily except through pipelines. There is no natural gas pipeline from the USA to Europe and shipping capacity is already maxxed out


18 posted on 09/23/2022 10:01:56 AM PDT by Mount Athos
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Magnum44

Nazis will never admit wrong to anything.

WW2 is proof of that.


19 posted on 09/23/2022 10:02:19 AM PDT by crz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Mariner
Time is on Russia’s side.

Not if energy prices keep falling. Dutch gas down another 1.5% this week.

20 posted on 09/23/2022 10:02:21 AM PDT by Poison Pill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-77 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson