“The West is rotting, but not freezing” – Kommersant FM

The European Union said it was too early to react to Kyiv’s plans to stop pumping Russian gas in 2024. EU officials are making it clear that they will be able to avoid fuel problems in any case, in particular thanks to a new plan to achieve energy independence for the community. Earlier, the Naftogaz of Ukraine company notified European consumers that it does not plan to renew the transit agreement with Russia. Kommersant FM political commentator Dmitry Drize sees what is happening as a chance for the development of future technologies.

Another decision that remained in the shadows amid everything that was happening. We are talking about Naftogaz Ukraine’s intention not to renew the agreement on the transit of Russian fuel in the future after 2024. In principle, this was expected. However, this does not in any way negate the significance of the event itself. In other words, if nothing changes, there is actually a year and two months left until the end of the era. Russian pipeline gas will stop flowing to Europe via the classic Western route.

Yes, liquefied gas remains, theoretically it is possible to repair Nord Streams, there is a southern route through Turkey. The turn to the East took place one way or another. Life goes on, the sky won’t fall to the ground. But nevertheless, what was once considered a great breakthrough, starting in the 70s of the last century, is now ceasing to exist. Ukraine is also breaking away even more from Russia, even if it is losing income. But money, as you know, is not the most important thing in life.

Meanwhile, the official representative of the European Commission, Tim McPhee, made it clear: there is still time, we will think about what can be done. In the meantime, as long as the storage facilities are full of fuel, we will get through the winter without problems, unless, of course, any extraordinary events happen.

At the same time, replacing Russian gas with, for example, Qatari or Nigerian gas is fraught with dependence on these, let’s say, not very democratic states. In turn, the latter will gain leverage over the ideological and free West. In general, it is bad to depend on someone, even on friends, not to mention everyone else.

As a result, we see that the current confrontation is simply bound to involuntarily push the development of alternative energy and new technologies in general in order to create a completely different world, clean in all respects. Actually, there is no other way out, if only because the struggle for resources, of which there are fewer and fewer, is also intensifying.

However, let’s return to the sinful earth. What do we actually have today? This is already the second winter in the new reality, knocking on the window, and somehow there is no noticeable panic in the Old World. Just as there are no dire forecasts about how the Germans, French and others like them warm themselves by the fires, cut down their historical parks, forests and other beauty. Everything we heard last year has already disappeared from view. Have they really already adapted and rebuilt? Maybe not. However, the topic of Europe’s energy collapse seems to have disappeared from the agenda. And you say, nothing changes in this world. The West may be rotten, but it is not freezing yet.

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