To really understand the impact of Russian oil and gas on Europe — and to understand the impact on the future of Ukraine — you have to study the existing pipeline system.
Nobody seems to be willing to do their homework to understand the magnitude of the problem.
Here is a decent schematic showing the network of current pipelines. It is a massive distribution system. Click on this graphic and study the enormity of Russia’s hold on Europe.
As you can see:
1. An enormous amount of European countries are dependent on Russia for oil and gas. Totally. Absolute. Dependent.
2. This dependency was and is a gargantuan error against which only a handful of prescient people took up voice. One of them was Donald Trump who immediately recognized it for the strategic blunder it was and sanctioned Nord Stream II.
3. There is a dependency between Europe and Russia that is addictive, deep rooted, and dangerous. It has been going on for 50 years.
4. Russia can literally turn off the heat and take out the lights in Europe and Europe freely gave this power to Russia and Putin. Within the next 60 days, he will use it. Likely sooner whilst it’s cold.
Do the Europeans love heat and light enough to allow thousands of Ukrainians be slaughtered? Apparently, yes.
5. Many European countries cannot find the courage to impose oil and gas sanctions against Russia as they are addicts and simply cannot do it. They cannot bear the pain and thus the blood will flow, ankle deep in Ukraine.
6. The United States imports Russian oil, but it is less than 10% of US crude and we could painfully wean ourselves from it tomorrow if we had a thimbleful of resolve. We are just as stupid as the Europeans.
The US can deal with the shortfall where Europe cannot. Let’s pull the bloody trigger and get on with it.
Vladimir Ilich Lenin is attributed with this little gem: “When it comes time to hang the capitalists, they will sell us the rope.”
Bottom line it, Big Red Car
Europe cannot do what needs to be done regardless of how much Joe Biden and the United States urge them to. They would rather sell the Russians rope.
“Turn on the tap, America. Hell, I’m making electric cars, and I want you to turn on the energy tap. We can go green after we save Ukraine.”