ANN CROTTY: Europe and the power of Russian gas
The shoe is now on the other foot for southern EU states, with winter approaching and war next door
It’s never a good sign when a war involving Russia drags on interminably, at least not if you’re on the opposing side. If the brave Ukrainians and their allies cannot force a speedy conclusion to the war that Russian President Vladimir Putin launched on their country in February, things could become a lot grimmer for the Ukrainians. And as French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent trip to Africa demonstrates, as the war drags on tensions are mounting across the globe, in a way that must surely delight Putin.
In the early days of the invasion it looked as if the Russian president had thoroughly miscalculated the situation, in particular the level of international support for Ukraine under the leadership of President Volodymyr Zelensky. In a dramatic break with tradition, the EU had moved quickly and decisively to impose united and effective sanctions against Russia. For a while it seemed the whole thing would be wrapped up within weeks and the hapless Russian army would be forc...
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