European countries dependent on Russian fuel; media, analysts state lim

Washington: Even though the United States and other western countries have imposed stringent sanctions against Russia, the United States and European countries feel the need for Russian fuel gas. Therefore, how much ever the European countries spewed fire on Russia, they could not garner the courage to impose sanctions against the Russian fuel gas. The United States has not stopped the fuel gas supplied by Russia. Some of the US leaders and media are pointing to this contradiction. Currently, there is a massive shortage of fuel gas in Europe. The fuel gas rates have skyrocketed, given the war in Ukraine. Besides, the rates have reached $2,000 per 1,000 cubic metres of fuel gas. These rates were previously stable at around $1,000 for the same quantity. This doubling of the rates has increased the pressure on the European countries. In this situation, the European countries cannot show the courage to ban Russian fuel gas. It is not possible even in the United States. Jane Psaki, the spokeswoman of the White House, was forced to confess to this. Jane Psaki recently clarified that there is no plan to ban fuel imports from Russia at the time being. This only shows that the European countries are dependent on Russia in this matter. Analysts and news agencies in the United States have pointed out that the harshest sanctions and tough measures against Russia serve no purpose in this scenario.

The United States cannot stop the European dependence on Russia for fuel. It will not be possible even if the United States and European countries initiate immediate efforts because the European countries will be in dire straits if the Russian fuel gas is not available to them. The European countries can’t import fuel gas from any country other than Russia. It will not be possible to substitute Russian fuels even if the United States lands hundreds of shiploads of gas in the European countries. The analysts have pointed out that this is because European countries do not have the systems in place to store and distribute this gas.

Despite all this, if the European countries decide to import gas from other countries through ships, it will prove to be very expensive. This is because the European countries will incur an additional expenditure of 70 billion Euros to store and distribute this gas. Analysts have pointed out that Europe lacks this capacity. The United States had contacted countries like Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Algeria and Azerbaijan to create an alternative for Russia. The media claimed that these countries told the United States that there is no practicable alternative to the Russian fuel supply. Coal and nuclear energy also are other sources of energy. But these energies face opposition due to environmental and security concerns.

Considering all this, the European countries cannot decide to challenge Russia beyond a certain limit. The US White House has also confessed that the Russian fuel was kept out of the purview of the sanctions imposed against Russia. This goes to underline the Russian importance.