Sanctions on Russia

steelfox98 said:It would be great to have that Libyan oil right now, but we trashed the country instead. Damn.
Well, it would be great to have oil from Venezuela, too, but we tried to pull off a bloody coup there just like we did in Ukraine—a failed attempt that only managed to rally about 1,000 people out of a population of 30 million. We tried to assassinate Maduro, and that flopped, too. We dabbled in some counter-terrorism, caught a few guys. Very democratic stuff.
No point talking much about Iran.
MBS, an American ally, has been ignoring Biden's calls for months. Now, after everything Sleepy said, he’s got to swallow his pride and go begging in Riyadh.
And then we act surprised when our dear savior Borrell whines at the G20 summit about how the world doesn't understand us.

The global battle of narratives is in full swing and, for now, we are not winning. As the EU, we have to engage further to refute Russian lies and war propaganda.

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/g20-...ilateralism_en

After a month of lying about how the Russians intentionally throttled gas flow while dodging questions about that controversial turbine, they're suddenly sending it back from service.

If the base amount A starts out higher, it stays ahead forever. Doesn't matter how fast the other side grows. I saw this play out once with a hedge fund client back in Chicago—growth rates are just noise if you aren't starting from the right position. Simple math. Cold, hard reality.
This kind of twisted math—where they can't even distinguish between growth rates and actual totals—belongs in a picture frame. I've seen some nonsense in my time, but this? Truly unique.
Just look at where China stood compared to the West forty years ago versus where they are today. It’s staggering. As for why they're outpacing us, it comes down to their entire culture—not that anyone bothered to write enough about it back then. Sure, starting from nothing gave them a massive advantage, but let's be real: they're closing the gap fast.

[User Not Found] [User Name] says:
My humble take? Putin will just keep playing this balancing act—trying to squeeze enough revenue to stay afloat while constantly screwing over the EU. A third of the supply isn't enough to build up any real reserves, but it’s just enough to keep the EU hooked on gas. He'll keep making threats, trying to walk into winter with as much leverage as possible to jack up the prices. Seen it all before.
Germany's stance on Putin and Russia is a mess. Disappointing, really. If it were up to Annalena, she’d have cut off that Russian gas supply in a heartbeat. I remember seeing similar hesitation back when we dealt with energy shifts in the States—just endless stalling.

We’ve all sat here reading those dire warnings from German experts about how this would trigger a massive recession. Even Robert Habeck said as much. Since he's the Secretary of Commerce, he's coming from the same party line. Given her track record and everything she's said lately, it's hardly surprising they pushed her to the back burner these last few months.
Ninety-five percent of the chemical industry relies on gas. Everything else just hooks onto those derivatives. Some sectors depend on it directly, too. It’s all a mess. We're looking at a projected 5 million unemployed. Just another day in this economy.

I don't know what to tell you. Just more noise in an already loud room. It’s all just going in circles. [User Name] says:
Putin has been pulling the strings on European politicians for ages through those non-market gas price concessions. It’s the same old story. I remember seeing similar backroom deals during my time working in DC; once the energy supply is leveraged, the sovereignty vanishes. Pure cynicism.

It’s the same old story. It’s like letting Russia hand-pick their own Prime Minister. I've seen this movie before.

After he sells out his own country to benefit Russia and finishes his term, I'm sure Putin will have a cushy job waiting for him at Gazprom. Typical.

Therein lies the fundamental divide between the American free-market system—which the Russian mafia types love to trash—and that shady Russian "godfather" alternative. I've seen enough of these power plays to know how they work.

Putin can offer his resources however he pleases, but the EU—like any sovereign nation wanting to remain so—should be defending such practices on their own end.

Is it really Germany's fault for choosing the cheapest supplier, someone who kept them supplied with cheap gas for 20 years just to stay competitive?
It's hardly a coincidence that after prices hit the stratosphere, Germany—after 30 years—had a month where they actually imported more than they exported.

You made an inaccurate claim, so per the forum rules, it's on you to provide a link.
Besides, it isn't hard to verify how their population has increased over the last 10 years (excluding Crimea), whereas we recently had our census and saw how things truly stand.

I don't know if these statistics were coincidentally taken from the last 4 weeks, but Russia just slashed deliveries by 60% during that specific window due to turbine maintenance. So, the picture looks quite different.

Here's a link https://www.gisreportsonline.com/r/r...aphic-decline/.
There are plenty of articles like this...

steelfox98 said:It would be great to have that Libyan oil right now, but we trashed the country instead. Damn.
Well, it would be great to have oil from Venezuela, too, but we tried to pull off a bloody coup there just like we did in Ukraine—a failed attempt that only managed to rally about 1,000 people out of a population of 30 million. We tried to assassinate Maduro, and that flopped, too. We dabbled in some counter-terrorism, caught a few guys. Very democratic stuff.
No point talking much about Iran.
MBS, an American ally, has been ignoring Biden's calls for months. Now, after everything Sleepy said, he’s got to swallow his pride and go begging in Riyadh.
And then we act surprised when our dear savior Borrell whines at the G20 summit about how the world doesn't understand us.

The global battle of narratives is in full swing and, for now, we are not winning. As the EU, we have to engage further to refute Russian lies and war propaganda.

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/g20-...ilateralism_en

After a month of lying about how the Russians intentionally throttled gas flow while dodging questions about that controversial turbine, they're suddenly sending it back from service.

If the base amount A starts out higher, it stays ahead forever. Doesn't matter how fast the other side grows. I saw this play out once with a hedge fund client back in Chicago—growth rates are just noise if you aren't starting from the right position. Simple math. Cold, hard reality.
This kind of twisted math—where they can't even distinguish between growth rates and actual totals—belongs in a picture frame. I've seen some nonsense in my time, but this? Truly unique.
Just look at where China stood compared to the West forty years ago versus where they are today. It’s staggering. As for why they're outpacing us, it comes down to their entire culture—not that anyone bothered to write enough about it back then. Sure, starting from nothing gave them a massive advantage, but let's be real: they're closing the gap fast.

[User Not Found] [User Name] says:
My humble take? Putin will just keep playing this balancing act—trying to squeeze enough revenue to stay afloat while constantly screwing over the EU. A third of the supply isn't enough to build up any real reserves, but it’s just enough to keep the EU hooked on gas. He'll keep making threats, trying to walk into winter with as much leverage as possible to jack up the prices. Seen it all before.
Germany's stance on Putin and Russia is a mess. Disappointing, really. If it were up to Annalena, she’d have cut off that Russian gas supply in a heartbeat. I remember seeing similar hesitation back when we dealt with energy shifts in the States—just endless stalling.

We’ve all sat here reading those dire warnings from German experts about how this would trigger a massive recession. Even Robert Habeck said as much. Since he's the Secretary of Commerce, he's coming from the same party line. Given her track record and everything she's said lately, it's hardly surprising they pushed her to the back burner these last few months.
Ninety-five percent of the chemical industry relies on gas. Everything else just hooks onto those derivatives. Some sectors depend on it directly, too. It’s all a mess. We're looking at a projected 5 million unemployed. Just another day in this economy.

I don't know what to tell you. Just more noise in an already loud room. It’s all just going in circles. [User Name] says:
Putin has been pulling the strings on European politicians for ages through those non-market gas price concessions. It’s the same old story. I remember seeing similar backroom deals during my time working in DC; once the energy supply is leveraged, the sovereignty vanishes. Pure cynicism.

It’s the same old story. It’s like letting Russia hand-pick their own Prime Minister. I've seen this movie before.

After he sells out his own country to benefit Russia and finishes his term, I'm sure Putin will have a cushy job waiting for him at Gazprom. Typical.

Therein lies the fundamental divide between the American free-market system—which the Russian mafia types love to trash—and that shady Russian "godfather" alternative. I've seen enough of these power plays to know how they work.

Putin can offer his resources however he pleases, but the EU—like any sovereign nation wanting to remain so—should be defending such practices on their own end.

Is it really Germany's fault for choosing the cheapest supplier, someone who kept them supplied with cheap gas for 20 years just to stay competitive?
It's hardly a coincidence that after prices hit the stratosphere, Germany—after 30 years—had a month where they actually imported more than they exported.

You made an inaccurate claim, so per the forum rules, it's on you to provide a link.
Besides, it isn't hard to verify how their population has increased over the last 10 years (excluding Crimea), whereas we recently had our census and saw how things truly stand.

I don't know if these statistics were coincidentally taken from the last 4 weeks, but Russia just slashed deliveries by 60% during that specific window due to turbine maintenance. So, the picture looks quite different.

Absolutely. Making a nation energy-dependent on a mafia-style Russia is nothing short of an unmitigated betrayal of national interests. Energy isn't just some line item on a budget; it’s a strategic cornerstone, and we're seeing the consequences of that failure play out right now. And the guy responsible for setting this up? He basically got a cushy job at ExxonMobil as a reward. They practically admit it themselves today, so you might as well go tell them they aren't to blame since they clearly don't care.

Germany is also to blame because they branded nuclear power as "dirty" while treating gas as some sort of clean energy savior.

And then, to top it all off, there's the fact that the EU advised everyone to buy on the spot market last year, leaving everyone without long-term contracts and totally at the mercy of market volatility right when war broke out.

It feels like someone orchestrated this entire mess because they were being paid off by Russia, one way or another. Everyone involved shares the blame here. The individual sitting on the board at ExxonMobil is arguably more corrupt than any disgraced politician from the old days. At least those guys didn't end up on a corporate board after their scandals.

What Russia did to Germany through the corruption of high-ranking officials is a disgrace among disgraces. Honestly, the British didn't fare much better with their nonsensical Brexit, which was fueled by fake news and trolls—another classic Russian maneuver. It's the same pattern everywhere; whether it's local conglomerates getting gutted or foreign powers messing with the books, they try to exert influence in every country so they can literally threaten a government by destabilizing it.

Still feels like nothing more than scare tactics and political theater to me.
I find it hard to believe Russia would go all in on a move like this. Though, to be fair, the Canadians did completely miss their deadlines on that turbine project...
Then you have those "accidents" back in Russia—a turbine fails, a chain snaps, a sling breaks "by mistake." They have plenty of ways to dodge direct responsibility for delays by citing "unforeseen technical issues."

Survive one winter in a single room, then go another hundred years without Russia 🙂

Terry Green3 said:Still feels like nothing more than scare tactics and political theater to me.
I find it hard to believe Russia would go all in on a move like this. Though, to be fair, the Canadians did completely miss their deadlines on that turbine project...
Then you have those "accidents" back in Russia—a turbine fails, a chain snaps, a sling breaks "by mistake." They have plenty of ways to dodge direct responsibility for delays by citing "unforeseen technical issues."

The way I read ExxonMobil's statement is that they aren't even sure if they'll get the turbine back, and if they don't, they can't guarantee deliveries.
Which basically means the turbine hasn't arrived yet.

Linda Collins3 said:The way I read ExxonMobil's statement is that they aren't even sure if they'll get the turbine back, and if they don't, they can't guarantee deliveries.
Which basically means the turbine hasn't arrived yet.

It is utterly preposterous to suggest that a self-sufficient Russia could possibly be dependent on some far-off Western turbine. How can anyone even entertain such a notion?

Anthony Hill5 said:It is utterly preposterous to suggest that a self-sufficient Russia could possibly be dependent on some far-off Western turbine. How can anyone even entertain such a notion?

Why wouldn't it be possible though? Honestly, they were pulling the exact same shady moves as everyone else in the world—basically thinking "why bother building it ourselves when we can just pay someone else to do the heavy lifting?" It’s pretty obvious someone probably cut a deal, pocketed a massive kickback, and now everyone is just sitting around waiting for the repairs so the gas can start flowing again.

Look at what's happening right now with China, too; they're trying to grab superconductor tech from the Dutch, and now the Americans are absolutely losing their minds and have slapped direct bans on those sales.
Since Taiwan is basically the main hub for the superconductors that everybody needs—including China—you have to realize that if China manages to get their hands on that specific technology, nothing could stop them from turning Taiwan into a parking lot, because they won't be reliant on them anymore; they wouldn't even need an actual invasion, they could just level the playing field through industry alone.

Superconductors? Man, I totally missed that news. Does anyone have a link? If it's legit, we're looking at some seriously revolutionary tech here.

Think semiconductors.

Nancy Howard4 said:Why wouldn't it be possible though? Honestly, they were pulling the exact same shady moves as everyone else in the world—basically thinking "why bother building it ourselves when we can just pay someone else to do the heavy lifting?" It’s pretty obvious someone probably cut a deal, pocketed a massive kickback, and now everyone is just sitting around waiting for the repairs so the gas can start flowing again.

Look at what's happening right now with China, too; they're trying to grab superconductor tech from the Dutch, and now the Americans are absolutely losing their minds and have slapped direct bans on those sales.
Since Taiwan is basically the main hub for the superconductors that everybody needs—including China—you have to realize that if China manages to get their hands on that specific technology, nothing could stop them from turning Taiwan into a parking lot, because they won't be reliant on them anymore; they wouldn't even need an actual invasion, they could just level the playing field through industry alone.

I still remember how those "partners and friends" in Germany went ballistic when the Chinese bought out a company where one of the biggest shareholders was literally the only surviving child of Magda Goebbels and her half-brother.
The Germans swore up and down that something like that would never happen again.🤣
And that's the big Western mantra, right? That capital doesn't care about borders.
Yeah... but apparently only when *they're* the ones doing the buying.

analogbear5 said:Think semiconductors.

Man, I'm already getting my hopes up...

Nancy Howard4 said:Why wouldn't it be possible though? Honestly, they were pulling the exact same shady moves as everyone else in the world—basically thinking "why bother building it ourselves when we can just pay someone else to do the heavy lifting?" It’s pretty obvious someone probably cut a deal, pocketed a massive kickback, and now everyone is just sitting around waiting for the repairs so the gas can start flowing again.

Look at what's happening right now with China, too; they're trying to grab superconductor tech from the Dutch, and now the Americans are absolutely losing their minds and have slapped direct bans on those sales.
Since Taiwan is basically the main hub for the superconductors that everybody needs—including China—you have to realize that if China manages to get their hands on that specific technology, nothing could stop them from turning Taiwan into a parking lot, because they won't be reliant on them anymore; they wouldn't even need an actual invasion, they could just level the playing field through industry alone.

98% of the global defense industry relies on semiconductors from Taiwan and South Korea. Where are the Dutch now?...

Nathan Thomas12 said:98% of the global defense industry relies on semiconductors from Taiwan and South Korea. Where are the Dutch now?...

The Dutch make the machines that actually build the chips. Without them, even the Chinese aren't getting anywhere.
Taiwan and South Korea just use their gear (do a quick search for photolithography).

The Baltic states just got another reminder of how little anyone actually cares about them.

Lithuania is going to follow the European Commission's advice and allow sanctioned Russian goods to transit by rail through its territory toward the Kaliningrad Oblast—that enclave cut off from mainland Russia. According to the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the previous trade rules, which blocked the transport of sanctioned items, were "more acceptable."

Terry Green3 said:The Baltic states just got another reminder of how little anyone actually cares about them.

Lithuania is going to follow the European Commission's advice and allow sanctioned Russian goods to transit by rail through its territory toward the Kaliningrad Oblast—that enclave cut off from mainland Russia. According to the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the previous trade rules, which blocked the transport of sanctioned items, were "more acceptable."

It’s always been that way, along with everything else... It’s really just a matter of following orders and knowing when to stay in line, because at the end of the day, you have to tie the horse exactly where the boss tells you to...

Terry Green3 said:The Baltic states just got another reminder of how little anyone actually cares about them.

Lithuania is going to follow the European Commission's advice and allow sanctioned Russian goods to transit by rail through its territory toward the Kaliningrad Oblast—that enclave cut off from mainland Russia. According to the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the previous trade rules, which blocked the transport of sanctioned items, were "more acceptable."

Or perhaps the EU has simply demonstrated once more that it still upholds the rule of law, setting itself apart from that dictatorial wasteland right across the border.

denijama said:Man, you anti-Western types are so stuck in this infantile "master vs. servant" movie fantasy that you’ve completely lost touch with reality.

Like everything is just driven by pure greed.
It feels like some fanatic cult to me. It's basically sawing off the branch you're sitting on.
And people have been buying this crap for years. I bet Russian propaganda has its hands deep in this too. As for the Islamists, we already know they despise Western values for religious reasons.

Lithuania didn't just decide on its own to hit Kaliningrad with those initial sanctions; it was part of a broader EU policy, and this is no different. Not to mention the headline is totally misleading and basically just trolling... but hey, nothing surprising for this thread.

Sure....

I think it’s pretty funny how people love to rant about capitalism and globalization while they're sitting there using an iUređaj, an Apple, and all that other gear that basically comes out of North Korea.

Oil prices are dropping again, sitting at $93 right now.

The last time we saw $90 was back in January 2022...

Jack Hill2 said:Oil prices are dropping again, sitting at $93 right now.

The last time we saw $90 was back in January 2022...

It was hovering at $92 just the day before the invasion started.
That’s basically how sanctions end up gutting the West. The whole goal is to get Europe completely decoupled from Russian gas, and once that happens, you're going to see gas prices absolutely crater.