Ukraine's Zelensky calls on Germany, Europe to halt all trade with Russia as war threatens to widen again
By jdheyes // 2022-03-23
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Even as reports over the weekend claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin's ally, Belarus, was preparing its military to invade Ukraine in support of Moscow, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is imploring Germany and other European countries reliant on Russian gas and oil to completely embargo all trade with the aggressor nation. Declaring in his latest address, "no euros for the oppressors," Zelenksky's appeal could signal a monumental shift in Europe's long-term relationship with Putin specifically and Russia in general, including shunning Moscow's biggest export – energy. "Please do not sponsor the weapons of war of this country, of Russia. No euros for the occupiers. Close all of your ports to them. Don’t export them your goods. Deny energy resources. Push for Russia to leave Ukraine," he said, according to Barron's, though Berlin has so far refused to end its oil imports from Russia. Zelensky knows that by choking off Putin's energy cash flow, he will also choke off Russia's war machine, which is being ground up steadily by Ukrainian resistance (hence the need for Belarusan forces). The Ukrainian leader was addressing his remarks specifically to Germany, where left-wing 'climate change' fanatics have, for decades, pressured the government into shuttering reliable, cheap, fossil fuel-powered energy production (and zero-emissions nuclear power) for "green alternatives" like wind and solar that will never be capable of producing enough power for that modern society. To make up for a dearth of domestic energy production, Germany has become heavily reliant on Russian fossil fuel production. "You have the strength. Europe has the strength," Zelensky said in his appeal -- though that's not at all certain, given the low tolerance Germany and the rest of NATO have for 'difficult times.' The Ukrainian leader made his appeal shortly before a meeting of European Union foreign ministers on Monday, March 21, who were to consider whether to tighten sanctions against Putin and Russia, and also ahead of President Joe Biden's call with the leaders of Germany, Italy, France and the UK, Reuters reported. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov followed up Zelensky's appeal with a direct warning against a European oil embargo, saying that while it will affect "everyone," it will impact Europe the most and the hardest. Peskov told reporters: "Such an embargo would have very serious consequences for the world energy market. It will have a very serious negative impact on Europe's energy balance." Peskov's comments followed a ban on the importation of Russian oil by the Biden regime – which should not have been importing Russian oil in the first place, had Biden not begun an assault on the American fossil fuel industry the moment he took office to placate his lunatic leftist base. Britain has also pledged to cut out all importation of Russian oil by the end of this year. As such, Peskov said cutting Russian fossil fuels will be "tough" for the population of Europe. He also acknowledged that while the ban won't be as impactful for American consumers, who "will feel much better than the Europeans ... It will be tough for the Europeans." Reuters added: "Diplomats have said a Russian chemical weapons attack in Ukraine, or a heavy bombardment of its capital Kyiv, could be a trigger for an energy embargo. Russia says it targets military, not civilian infrastructure. Moscow itself has warned that EU sanctions on Russian oil could prompt it to close a gas pipeline to Europe. For now, the 27-nation EU, which relies on Russia for 40 percent of its gas, with Germany among the most dependent of the bloc's large economies, is divided on how to tackle the energy issue. "Americans would remain as they are and would feel much better than Europeans (in the event of oil embargo). This would be hard for Europeans – such a decision would hit everyone," Peskov said. Oil prices are bound to go higher still – thanks in part to embargoes of Russian oil, an attack on Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure on Monday by Houthi rebels in Yemen and the fact that Biden is carrying out an assault on America's oil and gas industry to round out the perfect storm of stupidity. Sources include: Barrons.com GlobalNews.ca NDTV.com
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