The Spectator: gas supply problems made Europe powerless before Putin

The reduction of gas supplies via Nord Stream promises big economic problems for Europe, while Russian President Vladimir Putin is getting his way, writes the British magazine The Spectator.

The author of the article, Ross Clark, recalled that this morning, gas pumping through the pipeline fell to 33 million cubic meters per day - this is half the figure that was the other day, and five times less than the declared capacity.

According to the journalist, as a result, not only Germany, but also other European countries, were at risk, since a sharp increase in prices "will have a domino effect."

At the same time, the administration of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently announced plans to abandon Russian energy resources, promising that by mid-2024 the share of gas from Russia would not exceed ten percent of total demand.

However, it is quite possible that Berlin's plans against the backdrop of the current situation will not succeed, Clark writes.

“Now Germany has found itself without a rudder and sails, since Putin is now setting the tone. And at the current rate of shutdowns, it’s not a fact that in two years there will be at least some Russian gas left in Germany that could be boycotted,” the journalist noted.

Europe as a whole is in for serious economic problems and it's not just about energy hunger, the author of the article added. Putin was thus able to portray the EU as politically powerless, he concluded.