A combination of sanctions imposed through the West on Russia for its ongoing aggression in Ukraine and Russia’s backlash, combined with two years of pandemic shutdowns, excessive weather and a variety of other factors, is now raising fears of even worse gas and power shortages. and staple foods as Europe heads into the winter months without bloodshed.
“There is a genuine sense of crisis because Europe’s energy supply, which is largely provided through Russia, is now restricted,” Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital.
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“There is a general concern in Europe that we will run out of fuel during the winter, which leads to storage, firstly, to make sure countries have as much fuel as possible in their warehouses, and secondly, many countries are looking at how they can limit the use of electric power to last all winter. ” Said.
In addition, Europe is also contemplating energy resource options from Norway to North Africa and the Mediterranean basin to ensure it fills shortages this year and end its dependence on Russia once and for all.
“What we’re seeing now is the result of what happens when you depend on a rogue state for energy,” said David Patrikarakos, editor of Unherd and “War in 140 Characters. “
“Just as COVID has taught us that we can’t depend on a rogue state, China, for our supply chains, it also tells us that we can’t depend on a rogue state like Russia for our energy needs,” he said. it was inevitable because a state like Russia will end up behaving this way and therefore all the vulnerabilities we depend on will be exploited and used for blackmail, which is what is happening now. “
Russia’s reaction to Europe’s withdrawal of its energy resources has been to reduce its combustible materials in the hope of ending sanctions. On Sunday, state-owned energy giant Gazprom cut off a key pipeline to Germany that caused a fuel leak. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said the Nord Stream 1 fuel pipeline, which pumps fuel from St. Petersburg to Germany in the Baltic Sea, will only start operating when sanctions against Moscow are lifted.
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However, European governments seem determined not to return to Russian resources despite skyrocketing inflation and emerging customer costs that have sparked protests in France and Germany, as well as in Italy and the Czech Republic.
Seeking to quell civic unrest, governments began implementing a series of measures. In Portugal on Tuesday, the government announced a $2. 4 billion package for suffering households; in Germany, $64. 3 billion this week earmarked for the same purpose.
Next Friday, European Union energy ministers will meet in Brussels to discuss a package of solutions for the entire bloc, and EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson told The Associated Press that a transitory limit on the value of fuel used to generate electricity, an update in the industry. in energy trade regulations and the coordinated call for relief measures may be just some of the new measures.
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“I think everyone recognizes that there is an ongoing crisis. It’s not that it came out of nowhere, we’ve noticed that it accumulates,” Mendoza said. “I think there will now be a careful balance between governments and citizens, with governments giving the impression that they are doing everything they can, and citizens accepting that they can’t do it all. “
Whether that’s enough depends largely on next winter, he said.
“If it’s cold, this scenario can get worse,” Mendoza said, adding, “I think everyone in Europe knows what we’re up against and everyone will have to look at their energy consumption and figure out how they’re going to restrict their own outlet to reduce their own bills. “
Ruth Marks Eglash reports on Israel, the Middle East and Europe. You can consult it in Twitter@reglash