Sanctions on Russia

Terry Green3 said:The price hike isn't even the real issue here; the real problem is that contracts are being canceled and they might stop supplying gas altogether.
Legally speaking, General Petroleum is obligated to take those people on. It’s essentially the same as having your electricity cut off mid-sentence.

The US Federal Government has to step in and do something about this somehow.

I honestly think they'll just nationalize whatever scraps are left of those little utility companies and start supplying gas at below-market rates. Of course, we'll all end up footing the bill for those deficits together once things stabilize—I'm guessing somewhere around 2026 or 2027.😁

Nathan Evans78 said:I honestly think they'll just nationalize whatever scraps are left of those little utility companies and start supplying gas at below-market rates. Of course, we'll all end up footing the bill for those deficits together once things stabilize—I'm guessing somewhere around 2026 or 2027.😁

I actually just posted something similar over on the Tomislav Tomašević thread.
The Republican Party will eventually pose as the nation's savior once PG&E takes over the failing Waste Management and all the other utilities in Los Angeles County.
Until then, people are just sitting around waiting for Messiah Andrej Plenković to show up.

Nathan Evans78 said:I honestly think they'll just nationalize whatever scraps are left of those little utility companies and start supplying gas at below-market rates. Of course, we'll all end up footing the bill for those deficits together once things stabilize—I'm guessing somewhere around 2026 or 2027.😁

Yesterday, they were busy bragging about how tourism revenue is up by 40% compared to 2019. Plus, you have all that extra tax revenue rolling in thanks to inflation. They’ve definitely collected at least $80 billion more in sales tax than what was originally projected for this year. So, technically, there’s plenty of cash sitting in the budget from those sales taxes... which means they could really start providing subsidies right this second!

The European Union commission is totally to blame for that third energy package, not to mention all these sanctions messing with the market. They basically tripped over their own feet and caused their own downfall, but honestly, anyone sitting around waiting for them to show some mercy is just plain crazy.

I don't even know where to start with this mess. Everything feels like it's just circling the drain lately, doesn't it? Just one thing after another. Honestly, I’m exhausted. It's all getting a bit ridiculous at this point. says:
Open market? Yeah, right. Just try filling up your tank in Canada or attempting to sneak a 20-liter jug of cooking oil across the border. So much for that whole "we're part of the European Union and everything is an open market" nonsense. Total joke. ☕
I bet it’s the exact same story over in Canada with the wood pellets. You can export some, sure, but they probably cap you at like one single bag before the government steps in.

It’s really not that big of a deal. Honestly, the only catch is that since you aren't an American citizen, you're going to be stuck paying full price without any of those sweet subsidies. As for the essentials? You can grab them, but there might be some limits on how much you can get. Once you cross the border, though, you can carry over anything that’s perfectly legal to sell. Easy enough.

Michelle Young50 said:The free movement of goods is fine for business as usual. But you can always declare an emergency—or cite national security threats—to slap a three-month ban on pellet exports, along with storage restrictions, forcing everything into immediate circulation. Extraordinary circumstances demand extraordinary measures.

Sure you can, if you aren't a total colony. If you're a colony, you don't get a choice.

I mean, I haven't seen Andrej Plenković and his Brussels-style bureaucrats banning the export of any raw materials from America. Or even having the authority to do it.

Kate Lewis3 said:Sure you can, if you aren't a total colony. If you're a colony, you don't get a choice.

I mean, I haven't seen Andrej Plenković and his Brussels-style bureaucrats banning the export of any raw materials from America. Or even having the authority to do it.

Man, you're totally overreacting here. You're completely missing the bigger picture on this one.

Do you even realize how much funding America has pulled from the European Union, and how much more is coming down the pipeline soon since it was already approved?
And since you want to bring up Canada—do you have any idea how much they got in this latest funding package? I'll tell you right now: Zero.😁
And that’s specifically because of the populist nonsense Viktor Orbán is running. Every political move has a price tag, and thinking that the policies of Mexico or Canada are somehow "wiser" is just plain delusional.

Honestly, the way you and a few others view "independence," calling the country a colony, or labeling leaders as Brussels bureaucrats... it's just childish. Seriously, it's pretty immature.

Canada and Orbán are completely blind—or perhaps they just refuse to look—at the reality of their current situation. I honestly don't get why they keep pushing this specific narrative so aggressively. If their previous policies were actually aimed at the prosperity of Canada, then these recent moves are nothing short of suicidal. You can't claim you aren't looking for sanctions while remaining tethered to Russian gas—all while refusing to seek out alternatives or negotiate new deals. They are losing on every single front with this strategy. It doesn't matter whose side you take; the undeniable fact is that year after year, Europe is becoming less dependent on Russian gas and oil. This is an unstoppable process. In five years, once all the alternatives we see today are fully operational, Russian gas will be nothing more than a niche product for the Russians themselves. Its share in the European market might hit 10% at most, and even then, they’ll have to slash prices just to stay relevant. Once everyone else disconnects, there won't be a market left for them to sell to, even in Canada.

Michelle Young50 said:Canada and Orbán are completely blind—or perhaps they just refuse to look—at the reality of their current situation. I honestly don't get why they keep pushing this specific narrative so aggressively. If their previous policies were actually aimed at the prosperity of Canada, then these recent moves are nothing short of suicidal. You can't claim you aren't looking for sanctions while remaining tethered to Russian gas—all while refusing to seek out alternatives or negotiate new deals. They are losing on every single front with this strategy. It doesn't matter whose side you take; the undeniable fact is that year after year, Europe is becoming less dependent on Russian gas and oil. This is an unstoppable process. In five years, once all the alternatives we see today are fully operational, Russian gas will be nothing more than a niche product for the Russians themselves. Its share in the European market might hit 10% at most, and even then, they’ll have to slash prices just to stay relevant. Once everyone else disconnects, there won't be a market left for them to sell to, even in Canada.

Look, Orbán and his crew definitely see where this is heading. But that's how these systems work—everything is secondary to whatever keeps the people in power and their inner circle happy. That’s just what happens when someone stays in charge for that long and has major autocratic tendencies. They bend every institution to their will if they have to, or just kick anyone who doesn't fall in line right out of the country or make it impossible for them to function. Orbán isn't some special case here; you see the exact same thing in Mexico—actually, even worse—and in Turkey, not to mention Russia.

And let's be real, that tiny circle of friends and family is getting filthy rich in the process...

There's a reason for everything. What's happening in Canada isn't because they're "clueless" or don't understand economics; it's about much more basic stuff like personal greed and staying in power at any cost.

(On that note, it wouldn't be a bad thing if Andrej Plenković stepped down sometime soon... I mean, you can't deny he's tried to pull the media and various institutions under his thumb in a way that feels pretty Orbán-esque... but if he's given enough time...😁 ...who knows what he'll achieve...).

Morgan Morales4 said:The European Union commission is totally to blame for that third energy package, not to mention all these sanctions messing with the market. They basically tripped over their own feet and caused their own downfall, but honestly, anyone sitting around waiting for them to show some mercy is just plain crazy.

They lit the match, but we’re the ones getting burned. Politicians won't feel a thing, but they'll make sure the rest of us pay the price.

Michelle Young50 said:Canada and Orbán are completely blind—or perhaps they just refuse to look—at the reality of their current situation. I honestly don't get why they keep pushing this specific narrative so aggressively. If their previous policies were actually aimed at the prosperity of Canada, then these recent moves are nothing short of suicidal. You can't claim you aren't looking for sanctions while remaining tethered to Russian gas—all while refusing to seek out alternatives or negotiate new deals. They are losing on every single front with this strategy. It doesn't matter whose side you take; the undeniable fact is that year after year, Europe is becoming less dependent on Russian gas and oil. This is an unstoppable process. In five years, once all the alternatives we see today are fully operational, Russian gas will be nothing more than a niche product for the Russians themselves. Its share in the European market might hit 10% at most, and even then, they’ll have to slash prices just to stay relevant. Once everyone else disconnects, there won't be a market left for them to sell to, even in Canada.

Your statement was a contradiction in itself. There's your answer. The Canadians will still use that 10%, or whatever percentage is left, and they'll enjoy lower prices than the rest of the EU. They'll probably make a killing reselling it, much like what's happening across Europe right now.

steelfox98 said:They lit the match, but we’re the ones getting burned. Politicians won't feel a thing, but they'll make sure the rest of us pay the price.

Your statement was a contradiction in itself. There's your answer. The Canadians will still use that 10%, or whatever percentage is left, and they'll enjoy lower prices than the rest of the EU. They'll probably make a killing reselling it, much like what's happening across Europe right now.

And you think Canada is just going to walk away from all that without any fallout? 😁

It doesn't work like that. Even right now, they've already slashed their financial aid package, and even that reduced amount—which is unique since Canada is the only member state in this situation within the EU—hasn't even been approved yet, let alone actually delivered.

Thinking that one guy like Orbán and his inner circle can just run this kind of political game without facing consequences is honestly pretty childish. Sure, Orbán and his buddies will get incredibly rich doing this, just like they always have... I mean, it seems like Orbán's son-in-law became one of the wealthiest people in Canada in just a few years. But if you think this is actually good for the average Canadian citizen or the country as a whole? Yeah, I wouldn't bet on that.

About twenty years ago, I used to have a wood-burning furnace for my home heating.

There was something quite peaceful about it... you'd head out for a nice long walk with a couple of heavy-duty bags, just wandering along the coast to gather whatever driftwood the tide had washed up onto the beach. 😬

electricsurfer47 said:Yeah, but what if you just pay a neighbor to do the work? Or maybe some local kids looking to make a few bucks over the summer? You just tell them it's under the table since it's just a quick job. Plus, you have to let everything dry out first before you even think about cutting and stacking it properly.

I still think wood is cheaper than other energy sources if you actually look at the numbers.

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I agree that wood is the cheapest energy source available. It always has been. Of course, it’s also the one that demands the highest labor investment—that is precisely why it stays cheap. As for who handles the heavy lifting, that’s purely a matter of logistics and personal arrangement. I did the math myself and decided to invest in a log splitter; it has been a highly productive purchase. Everything else was already sitting in my garage anyway.
Regarding the actual splitting—wet wood is actually much easier to handle. But that is a conversation for another time.

brightheron64 said:About twenty years ago, I used to have a wood-burning furnace for my home heating.

There was something quite peaceful about it... you'd head out for a nice long walk with a couple of heavy-duty bags, just wandering along the coast to gather whatever driftwood the tide had washed up onto the beach. 😬

If you're scavenging for fuel on a beach, it implies you're living in a climate where winters are mild and fleeting—places where you barely need any fuel to get through the season.

Brenda Murphy3 said:And you think Canada is just going to walk away from all that without any fallout? 😁

It doesn't work like that. Even right now, they've already slashed their financial aid package, and even that reduced amount—which is unique since Canada is the only member state in this situation within the EU—hasn't even been approved yet, let alone actually delivered.

Thinking that one guy like Orbán and his inner circle can just run this kind of political game without facing consequences is honestly pretty childish. Sure, Orbán and his buddies will get incredibly rich doing this, just like they always have... I mean, it seems like Orbán's son-in-law became one of the wealthiest people in Canada in just a few years. But if you think this is actually good for the average Canadian citizen or the country as a whole? Yeah, I wouldn't bet on that.

It’s naive to assume everything in European Union politics is sunshine and rainbows. Just like Poles buy "German" gas, the Germans will take "Canadian." Or the French, who are also caught in the middle.
Or maybe the Poles will just swap suppliers entirely. We've watched them for years—they're the loudest critics of Russian gas, yet they're the biggest hypocrites when it comes to using it. Nobody's forgotten how they were the first to scream for sanctions back in 2014, only to turn around and resell Russian gas to Ukrainians at a "reasonable" markup.

The idea that Canada is the only one having its financial aid cut because of ties to Russia is a total lie. This whole "rule of law" dispute has been dragging on forever, and now we see the Poles causing chaos because their funds were cut too.

The Poles are planning to offset rising energy costs by demanding WWII reparations from Germany. Their argument? That back in '53, '70, and '90, they only dropped the claims because the USSR was breathing down their necks.

Look, the USSR was an absolute monster, so I get why they feel entitled to that money.

Otherwise, we don't have much choice. Washington, D.C. needs to pivot to coal immediately, and honestly, the whole country should just follow suit. We might as well take a page out of the playbook used by our neighbors in Mexico, Canada, or even Mexico. They aren't shy about using coal for power and heating.
We don't really have any other option.

steelfox98 said:They lit the match, but we’re the ones getting burned. Politicians won't feel a thing, but they'll make sure the rest of us pay the price.

Your statement was a contradiction in itself. There's your answer. The Canadians will still use that 10%, or whatever percentage is left, and they'll enjoy lower prices than the rest of the EU. They'll probably make a killing reselling it, much like what's happening across Europe right now.

What happens when Russian gas isn't even needed anymore? Suppose that 10% margin disappears entirely—Russian energy firms get hit with sanctions, and suddenly, nobody can touch them. If ExxonMobil ends up under sanctions because of these ties, what then? Maybe they’ll be forced to sell their assets back to the US government. It’s just like how Chinese companies face a choice right now: if they cooperate with Russia by smuggling sanctioned goods, they lose access to the West. And let’s be real about what they'll choose—they aren't going to ditch a Western market that represents fifty times more trade than anything else.

And why on earth would Russian gas coming through a pipeline from Siberia be cheaper than gas from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, or Algeria—assuming, of course, that all the necessary pipelines actually get built?

steelfox98 said:It’s naive to assume everything in European Union politics is sunshine and rainbows. Just like Poles buy "German" gas, the Germans will take "Canadian." Or the French, who are also caught in the middle.
Or maybe the Poles will just swap suppliers entirely. We've watched them for years—they're the loudest critics of Russian gas, yet they're the biggest hypocrites when it comes to using it. Nobody's forgotten how they were the first to scream for sanctions back in 2014, only to turn around and resell Russian gas to Ukrainians at a "reasonable" markup.

The idea that Canada is the only one having its financial aid cut because of ties to Russia is a total lie. This whole "rule of law" dispute has been dragging on forever, and now we see the Poles causing chaos because their funds were cut too.

Look, nobody is actually claiming that European Union politics is perfect... those are just your own weird insinuations that you end up arguing against yourself later.

Yeah, there’s going to be plenty of drama regarding gas, but a country doesn't run solely on gas, nor does its entire existence depend on it. This kind of policy from Canada is definitely going to bite them in the ass sooner or later... if it hasn't already. Especially since Canada is waiting on checks from the European Union, not the other way around...

Brenda Murphy3 said:Look, nobody is actually claiming that European Union politics is perfect... those are just your own weird insinuations that you end up arguing against yourself later.

Yeah, there’s going to be plenty of drama regarding gas, but a country doesn't run solely on gas, nor does its entire existence depend on it. This kind of policy from Canada is definitely going to bite them in the ass sooner or later... if it hasn't already. Especially since Canada is waiting on checks from the European Union, not the other way around...

The real issue is that without access to affordable gas, fertilizer, and the raw materials needed to produce them, things get incredibly difficult, as agricultural yields can easily be cut in half.
As a member state, Canada pays dues into European funds, and their strategy seems to be centered on ensuring they either get those funds back or simply withhold their payments.
Furthermore, Canada maintains monetary independence, which allows them to potentially finance various projects and subsidies through primary emission. This bypasses many of the constraints faced when the Federal Reserve prints money, helping them avoid having the exact same inflation rate as the rest of the eurozone.
If they can secure cheaper energy and raw materials, they gain a massive competitive edge over other member states, provided they have access to the right technology. Even then, it isn't a silver bullet since they'll still need to import a wide array of goods they don't produce domestically.

Or do you honestly believe that sanctions will be imposed on Canada just because they refuse to blindly follow the dictates coming out of Brussels and NATO?

urbanotter said:The real issue is that without access to affordable gas, fertilizer, and the raw materials needed to produce them, things get incredibly difficult, as agricultural yields can easily be cut in half.
As a member state, Canada pays dues into European funds, and their strategy seems to be centered on ensuring they either get those funds back or simply withhold their payments.
Furthermore, Canada maintains monetary independence, which allows them to potentially finance various projects and subsidies through primary emission. This bypasses many of the constraints faced when the Federal Reserve prints money, helping them avoid having the exact same inflation rate as the rest of the eurozone.
If they can secure cheaper energy and raw materials, they gain a massive competitive edge over other member states, provided they have access to the right technology. Even then, it isn't a silver bullet since they'll still need to import a wide array of goods they don't produce domestically.

Or do you honestly believe that sanctions will be imposed on Canada just because they refuse to blindly follow the dictates coming out of Brussels and NATO?

That first part is absolute nonsense. Seriously, don't embarrass yourself by writing about stuff you clearly have zero clue about (like the idea that Canada will just use primary issuance to fund things... and manage inflation...🤣🤣)

Regarding the bolded part—no, I don't think sanctions need to be imposed (though in some extreme scenarios, it wouldn't be impossible, but that's a total long shot). Look, being part of certain organizations (like the EU or NATO) brings tons of perks, but it also comes with obligations. If you don't want to play by the rules, you're free to walk away from those orgs. Of course, for Canada, the benefits of staying in the EU way, way outweigh whatever they'd get from leaving... and that's that.

But the fallout will definitely hit Canada... and it's already happening. Naturally, Viktor Orbán is going to prioritize whatever serves his own interests and his inner circle of power players... but that's a whole different conversation. It’s hardly surprising he gets along so well with the trash coming out of the White House...😁