January 13, 2009
The Russians get it and the Europeans don't
Our own Kris Kotarski in the Calgary Herald:
On natural gas, the Russians get it and the Europeans don't. Gazprom (read: Putin) has found an area where Russia has leverage on the European Union (especially in the winter), and by signing individual contracts with states such as Germany and Italy, the Russians have driven a wedge into European politics and European unity. The reason?Russia wants its traditional buffer areas to stay friendly, and not to turn toward NATO and the EU.
Europe is too rich and too necessary to Russian industry to be treated like this, yet despite the obvious solution visible to all, on matters of energy security, the European Union is still not mature enough to present a common front.Until it does, Russia is wise to stoke up antagonism between those who have and who have-not, pitting Poland against Germany, or Romania and Slovakia against Ukraine. Just as it looks as if the Europeans will finally get smart and get together on a common negotiating position, the summer comes, the prices drop, and Gazprom smiles a wide and reassuring smile. The sense of urgency dissipates, Gazprom offers favourable deals to some but not others, and slowly but surely, the buffer states are isolated, one by one, as the sun shines down on the old continent.
More here.
Posted by Abbas Raza at 09:00 AM | Permalink
Comments
Russian politicians have a long history of being expert chess players, whereas most EU politicians can barely walk and chew gum at the same time. Take them beyond their petty political bickering, and they are lost in the woods....with a big Russian bear. Who do you think will win the game?
Putin knows he is playing hardball with a bunch of lightweights...and there is no contest. The EU needs some leaders with balls (not Silvio Berlusconi with new hair), who will take on the comfortable apathy of the electorate as well as those prickly Russians!
Posted by: Bill | Jan 13, 2009 11:46:33 AM
Russians bad, Europeans good. That's why the 3qd reader should automatically see this from a European prespective.
Posted by: Pepito | Jan 13, 2009 12:09:47 PM
Russians bad, Europeans good. That's why the 3qd reader should automatically see this from a European prespective.
Posted by: Pepito | Jan 13, 2009 12:09:50 PM
The EU is so complicated, wanting a united front, yet honouring their individual needs. How can they not have growing pains...especially as cultures are respected and then not so ; )
It basically means no war, beyond that, it's a fluid but powerful union.
I have much respect for the Russians and their concept of 'time'....this will be something to watch as it plays out, indeed. Their incompetence to mine so many natural resources is another matter entirely.
But brrrr, here in Paris, it's been cold, indeed.
Posted by: baileyalexander | Jan 13, 2009 4:05:56 PM
Russians smart, Europeans dumb... or at least that's what I meant to write.
Posted by: Kris Kotarski | Jan 13, 2009 4:17:46 PM
Hey Bill, Berlusconi's new balls are pure gold! He's still planning on outshining the rest of Europe in at least once category: pure egotistical mania. Sarkozy can try to match him, but his seriousness when at diplomacy belies his inner conflict between ego and a need for outside vindication.
But seriously, what's with all this global warming I hear about? That's all we need to defeat these godless commie capitalists! 5 C in Warsaw in January I say!
Thank you, thank you, I'll be in town all week at the motel 6...
(...walks off-stage to sober up)
Posted by: Cyrus Hall | Jan 13, 2009 6:05:39 PM
Throughout history the Russians have done exactly the same thing to anybody who tried to attack them - throw conscripts at them and wait for winter to kill the invaders.
Posted by: mik | Feb 12, 2009 1:15:22 PM
why are people taking as if there is a war going on?
Posted by: anon | Feb 12, 2009 1:51:57 PM
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