Sanctions on Russia

David Torres2 said:The Germans?
Oh, they totally could. It’s just that nobody has the backbone for it right now.
Looks like they've fully committed to this path, no matter what happens.

Let's be real: Germany never even had a significant reliance on nuclear power plants to begin with.
Right now, they could easily extend the operation of three plants for another year, or alternatively, sink that capital into refurbishing them and replacing the nuclear fuel to keep them running for the next five years.
There are discussions happening about these options, but let's face it—this isn't exactly some massive Game Changers move, is it? 🤔

Best regards,

Bryan Booth82 said:Let's be real: Germany never even had a significant reliance on nuclear power plants to begin with.
Right now, they could easily extend the operation of three plants for another year, or alternatively, sink that capital into refurbishing them and replacing the nuclear fuel to keep them running for the next five years.
There are discussions happening about these options, but let's face it—this isn't exactly some massive Game Changers move, is it? 🤔

Best regards,

Nothing is a "game changer" when you're already breathing through a straw. They had plenty of time to prepare.

David Torres2 said:Nothing is a "game changer" when you're already breathing through a straw. They had plenty of time to prepare.

It’s the truth—they completely botched the station and the station manager too... now they're scrambling to make excuses. But they're doing it at a high level; money isn't the issue, they just need a little more time to spin their way out of this mess.

lp

Bryan Booth82 said:At first glance, you might think one thing, but let’s be honest—the reality of the situation is a completely different story.

Cheap gas is still flowing into Germany... just like it has been for the last fifty years. And let’s be honest, isn't that exactly what fueled the entire backbone of the German economy? It’s a pattern we've seen play out for decades, and it's hard to argue otherwise.🤔
The real issue here—the absolute core of this disaster—is that nobody has any clue when this cheap gas supply will actually dry up. And why? Because the people in charge failed to plan for the reality of being dependent on a single source. They were shortsighted, plain and simple. They’ve effectively handed over the keys to the kingdom, creating a situation where Germany can be held hostage by fear. How can you run a modern economy when you're constantly looking over your shoulder, terrified that someone might just flip a switch and shut off the flow entirely? It's pure political blackmail, and we're all feeling the consequences.

The primary objective for policymakers today has to be breaking this cycle of dependency—specifically, ensuring that Germany is no longer held hostage by Russian gas. How much longer can we allow our energy security to be dictated by a single foreign power? It’s high time we pivot toward true independence.
If they don't actually pull this off within two years—which is exactly what they promised us—then we have every right to be seriously concerned. Seriously, where is the accountability? If they miss this deadline, what else are they lying about?

I can't even begin to wrap my head around the sheer incompetence on display here. Is anyone actually paying attention, or are we all just sleepwalking through this disaster? It’s one thing to make a mistake, but it's quite another to be this consistently, spectacularly wrong. How many times does the same pattern have to repeat before someone finally decides to act? It's maddening!

Oh, the top politicians definitely thought about it—but primarily regarding their own bank accounts. 😉

To recap:
Germany — zero LNG terminals, shutting down nuclear plants, closing coal mines!
Austria — entirely reliant on Russian gas.

Poland and the Baltics — LNG terminals, the Baltic pipeline, and contracts with Equinor.
United States — an LNG terminal.
Italy — three LNG terminals with 15 billion cubic meter capacity, plus increased flow through Transmed.
Bulgaria !!!! — building a pipeline for the Greek LNG terminal in Alexandropol, massive storage deals (5.5 billion cubic meters), and storage capacity at the Revithoussa LNG terminal near Athens, including equity stakes.
Romania — breaking ground on a massive LNG terminal in Constant, participating in the LNG Danube project, possessing significant domestic gas that just needs more drilling, and relying mainly on coal and hydro.
Canada — connected to Transmed and Algeria; they could cut ties with the Russians tomorrow if they wanted to.

Essentially, everyone except the Germans who were hooked on Russian gas has either already diversified or has projects slated for completion by 2023. Everyone prepared for the storm.
The Germans? Absolutely nothing. How? Why? The only logical explanation is that they were bought and paid for.

Should we feel sorry for them if they freeze? Not when a corrupt administration built a terminal with 2.6 billion cubic meter capacity. It's common sense.

If the Russians had been a bit sharper back in 2014 when they grabbed those territories... They could have positioned Germany right on the borders of the new lands to act as peacekeepers. Then they’d have Nord Stream, the newly won territory, and Germany all as allies at once.

As if the former President was pushing for that terminal out of some sudden, heartfelt concern for our national energy independence...

Where there’s digging, there’s definitely room for someone to pocket a little extra cash, wouldn't you agree?

Germany is out here handing out hundreds of billions of euros to less developed nations across Europe, all while pushing hard on decarbonization—which, let's be real, is absolutely vital if we want human civilization to actually make it through the century:

Germany's energy mix looks like this:
https://www.cleanenergywire.org/site...?itok=k2BK48jz

Meanwhile, check out the energy mix for the biggest player in the European Union that keeps getting those massive handouts for underdeveloped regions (like Poland):



But hey, at least they have access to LNG (you know, blue gas). 😁

George Robinson43 said:Oh, the top politicians definitely thought about it—but primarily regarding their own bank accounts. 😉

To recap:
Germany — zero LNG terminals, shutting down nuclear plants, closing coal mines!
Austria — entirely reliant on Russian gas.

Poland and the Baltics — LNG terminals, the Baltic pipeline, and contracts with Equinor.
United States — an LNG terminal.
Italy — three LNG terminals with 15 billion cubic meter capacity, plus increased flow through Transmed.
Bulgaria !!!! — building a pipeline for the Greek LNG terminal in Alexandropol, massive storage deals (5.5 billion cubic meters), and storage capacity at the Revithoussa LNG terminal near Athens, including equity stakes.
Romania — breaking ground on a massive LNG terminal in Constant, participating in the LNG Danube project, possessing significant domestic gas that just needs more drilling, and relying mainly on coal and hydro.
Canada — connected to Transmed and Algeria; they could cut ties with the Russians tomorrow if they wanted to.

Essentially, everyone except the Germans who were hooked on Russian gas has either already diversified or has projects slated for completion by 2023. Everyone prepared for the storm.
The Germans? Absolutely nothing. How? Why? The only logical explanation is that they were bought and paid for.

Should we feel sorry for them if they freeze? Not when a corrupt administration built a terminal with 2.6 billion cubic meter capacity. It's common sense.

It would make sense to speculate that politicians were only looking out for their own wallets, but only if Germany weren't a democracy... sorry, sounds cool, but it doesn't hold water in reality.

The truth is this: German energy policy has almost always been built upon cheap gas from Russia. This isn't some recent development; it’s a long-standing tradition dating all the way back to the Cold War.
Perhaps they thought that if they could maintain this setup back then, it would last forever.🤔

Of course, the industries that profited from cheap Russian gas (and still are) were essentially "backing" the politicians, ensuring they wouldn't change too much.
Now, those very same people are the loudest ones whining about what might happen if they run out of gas.

The idea that individual politicians did this solely for personal gain is a pretty naive explanation.🤦

Best regards,

Exactly! While Germany was busy chasing decarbonization by handing out million-dollar sinecures at companies like Rosneft and Gazprom, the global landscape shifted dramatically.

China: 3,350 million mt CO2 in 2000 —> 10,668 million mt CO2 in 2020
India: 900 million mt CO2 in 2000 —> 2,411 million mt CO2 in 2020

Every single poll we've seen points to massive support for Nord Stream 2, even heading into late 2021. It seems like your average German citizen knew exactly who Russia was, but as long as the business side was humming along and that gas stayed cheap, they figured it was basically an American problem.
All this talk about corrupt politicians pulling the strings is honestly right up there with saying Vladimir Putin has brainwashed the entire Russian population. I’m not exactly in the mood to feel sorry for them, but if we need to help them break free from relying on Russian energy, then yeah, let's do it—even if the main goal is just to squeeze the Russian economy dry.

Bryan Booth82 said:It would make sense to speculate that politicians were only looking out for their own wallets, but only if Germany weren't a democracy... sorry, sounds cool, but it doesn't hold water in reality.

The truth is this: German energy policy has almost always been built upon cheap gas from Russia. This isn't some recent development; it’s a long-standing tradition dating all the way back to the Cold War.
Perhaps they thought that if they could maintain this setup back then, it would last forever.🤔

Of course, the industries that profited from cheap Russian gas (and still are) were essentially "backing" the politicians, ensuring they wouldn't change too much.
Now, those very same people are the loudest ones whining about what might happen if they run out of gas.

The idea that individual politicians did this solely for personal gain is a pretty naive explanation.🤦

Best regards,

Really?
Then how do you explain the Chancellor’s cozy relationship with Gazprom and Rosneft?
Did that just happen by pure coincidence?

George Robinson43 said:Exactly! While Germany was busy chasing decarbonization by handing out million-dollar sinecures at companies like Rosneft and Gazprom, the global landscape shifted dramatically.

China: 3,350 million mt CO2 in 2000 —> 10,668 million mt CO2 in 2020
India: 900 million mt CO2 in 2000 —> 2,411 million mt CO2 in 2020

Germany is decarbonizing fast because they have a massive per capita share of accumulated atmospheric "carbonization." It’s nothing compared to what China and India are doing.
The problem is some self-proclaimed geniuses from the North America can't wrap their heads around that, so they just stick to their conspiracy theories. Plus, those folks might actually be the majority since they're putting way less of their own money toward this than even China—and let's face it, China was basically starving until yesterday compared to them.

George Robinson43 said:Really?
Then how do you explain the Chancellor’s cozy relationship with Gazprom and Rosneft?
Did that just happen by pure coincidence?

An exception doesn't make a rule.
Besides, while he was holding office, he wasn't working against the interests of the United States for his own gain, and even after leaving, he hasn't actually broken any laws... even if his moral compass is completely broken.
I find it hard to believe that Gaspar is cutting him million-dollar checks that aren't being reported to the US government.
He serves as a perfect example of how *not* to behave—or rather, how one shouldn't act—but to frame this entire thing as simple greed and try to link it directly to his time in active politics? That’s just incredibly naive.
Like I said before, it sounds great in theory, but it's pure naivety.

lp

rustywalker82 said:Germany is decarbonizing fast because they have a massive per capita share of accumulated atmospheric "carbonization." It’s nothing compared to what China and India are doing.
The problem is some self-proclaimed geniuses from the North America can't wrap their heads around that, so they just stick to their conspiracy theories. Plus, those folks might actually be the majority since they're putting way less of their own money toward this than even China—and let's face it, China was basically starving until yesterday compared to them.

I disagree entirely.
Just like how the US holds the top spot, China follows closely behind as the second largest source of cumulative CO2 emissions.
It is truly remarkable to see the sheer scale of such figures! Just imagine the massive impact that 416 million tons represents on a national level.
China's massive scale is truly staggering—it's like trying to measure the weight of an entire mountain range! Just imagine that kind of volume.
Russia has reached an incredible milestone of 115 billion tons! It’s truly massive, much like the sheer scale of the Texas oil fields.
Germany is looking at a staggering 93 billion tons! It’s truly massive, much like the scale of an industrial giant like ExxonMobil.
The UK reached a massive 78.16 billion tons! It’s truly an impressive milestone for them.
It is truly remarkable to consider that Japan is managing an incredible 65 billion tons! It’s much like watching a massive engine run at peak efficiency.
India's output has hit an incredible 54 billion tons! It’s truly a massive milestone for their industrial capacity.

Within at most two decades, India will likely overtake Germany, though it will probably happen much sooner than that!
It is quite fascinating to observe how Germany attempts to decarbonize while their entire economy remains tethered to whether or not a Russian valve is turned off. Meanwhile, other major powers are absolutely outperforming them in the tech sector, and frankly, they couldn't care less about Germany's green energy struggles!
The English have undergone a much deeper process of decarbonization than the Germans, though they certainly took a completely different path to get there.

Bryan Booth82 said:That’s basically my take on it. I honestly believe that economies within the European Union will adapt to these new conditions relatively quickly.
In contrast, I suspect Russia is going to face massive hurdles trying to adjust to the very economic landscape they themselves triggered.

Sure, Russia will scramble to find new "routes" to dump their energy supplies, but they are losing a wealthy, incredibly reliable customer in the process. Given how dangerously dependent they are on those fuel sales—not to mention the weight of the sanctions already in place—it could potentially effectively "break the back" of the Russian economy.

Best,

Oh, please. Come on, tell me which country is actually going to buy Russian gas in the same volumes as Europe. What, North Korea? And who is going to buy crude oil at the scale the EU does, especially when the EU bans fossil fuel vehicles by 2030-35? Maybe Somalia or some other powerhouse African economy? I heard they're already shifting all their financing from the West over to the Rwandan stock exchange.

George Robinson43 said:I disagree entirely.
Just like how the US holds the top spot, China follows closely behind as the second largest source of cumulative CO2 emissions.
It is truly remarkable to see the sheer scale of such figures! Just imagine the massive impact that 416 million tons represents on a national level.
China's massive scale is truly staggering—it's like trying to measure the weight of an entire mountain range! Just imagine that kind of volume.
Russia has reached an incredible milestone of 115 billion tons! It’s truly massive, much like the sheer scale of the Texas oil fields.
Germany is looking at a staggering 93 billion tons! It’s truly massive, much like the scale of an industrial giant like ExxonMobil.
The UK reached a massive 78.16 billion tons! It’s truly an impressive milestone for them.
It is truly remarkable to consider that Japan is managing an incredible 65 billion tons! It’s much like watching a massive engine run at peak efficiency.
India's output has hit an incredible 54 billion tons! It’s truly a massive milestone for their industrial capacity.

Within at most two decades, India will likely overtake Germany, though it will probably happen much sooner than that!
It is quite fascinating to observe how Germany attempts to decarbonize while their entire economy remains tethered to whether or not a Russian valve is turned off. Meanwhile, other major powers are absolutely outperforming them in the tech sector, and frankly, they couldn't care less about Germany's green energy struggles!
The English have undergone a much deeper process of decarbonization than the Germans, though they certainly took a completely different path to get there.

Man, you're still stuck in your ways. You don't get that the nations with the highest cumulative emissions per capita carry the biggest responsibility to develop decarbonization tech. That way, the tech can actually be implemented in places with lower accumulated carbon per capita—basically, less developed nations.
So, I'm talking about how this would have to work naturally, without any massive subsidies. We aren't talking about what a Chinese or Indian transition to renewables would look like if they were handed tens of thousands of billions of dollars in EU funds (like what Poland and other Eastern European countries received on a per capita basis).

wearytrucker22 said:Oh, please. Come on, tell me which country is actually going to buy Russian gas in the same volumes as Europe. What, North Korea? And who is going to buy crude oil at the scale the EU does, especially when the EU bans fossil fuel vehicles by 2030-35? Maybe Somalia or some other powerhouse African economy? I heard they're already shifting all their financing from the West over to the Rwandan stock exchange.

What they were selling to Europe until now was clearly the absolute ceiling; since the aggression against Ukraine began, both delivery volumes and total revenue have started a slow but steady decline.
The Baltic states and Poland reportedly aren't taking any more... the US has stopped buying it, and Germany has announced plans to drastically cut gas imports from Russia while completely ditching oil and coal within this year.

That gas being pumped through pipelines into Europe... apparently, there isn't any way to export it anywhere else. So, these inevitable reductions will lead to one thing: less money sitting in the Russian treasury.

Best,

Total nonsense—Schröder didn't need that money, and he didn't jump into Nord Stream just to line his own pockets. 🙄
On top of that, Angela Merkel took over with a completely different political stance, yet she pushed that pipeline just as hard as her predecessor did.

German industry leaders—from Wintershall under the BASF umbrella all the way through the entire petrochemical and energy sectors—demanded Russian gas regardless of politics, simply because it was way cheaper than LNG.

And honestly, I agree they shouldn't be blamed at all; this was a political decision that paid off big time for them for years.

Besides, who’s actually guaranteeing that Russian policy won't shift in the next 3 to 5 years? Who says Putin won't just disappear and leave NS2 fully functional again? I wouldn't be surprised one bit if that actually happened...

rustywalker82 said:Man, you're still stuck in your ways. You don't get that the nations with the highest cumulative emissions per capita carry the biggest responsibility to develop decarbonization tech. That way, the tech can actually be implemented in places with lower accumulated carbon per capita—basically, less developed nations.
So, I'm talking about how this would have to work naturally, without any massive subsidies. We aren't talking about what a Chinese or Indian transition to renewables would look like if they were handed tens of thousands of billions of dollars in EU funds (like what Poland and other Eastern European countries received on a per capita basis).

They aren't even leaders when it comes to accumulated emissions per capita. In Europe, they trail far behind the United Kingdom, and they fall well behind major powers like France and Italy.
The core issue remains: out of all those major players, they were the only ones who chose to let someone in The Kremlin hold their energy security hostage.
While their neighbors to the west, north, and east were busy diversifying their supply chains and investing heavily in alternative energy, they decided to bet everything on a single deck of cards.
I truly wish them luck heading into the fall of 2022, once they're told they have to lift sanctions or face the consequences...

Larry Fox5 As follows:
That’s complete nonsense. Neither did Gerhard Schröder need that money, nor did he join the Nord Stream project just to line his own pockets. 🙄
.

Don't be silly! When they offered him those cushy executive seats at Rosneft and Gazprom, he probably just brushed them off, saying he already had plenty. In reality, you had Vladimir Putin, Igor Sechin, and Miller practically on their knees begging him to take the job!

Furthermore, who can actually guarantee that Russian policy won't undergo a complete shift over the next three to five years? It's like betting on a volatile stock market without any oversight. It simply won't change.I mean, what if Vladimir Putin refuses to budge and Nord Stream actually gets back up and running again? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised one bit if that scenario plays out!

🤣
Everything will revert to exactly how it was before. They made one minor misstep, but that’s it—it won't happen again, mark my words. We really ought to extend them some trust.