Asharq Al-Awsat: Germany urged the EU to seek low gas prices from the USEurope is unhappy with gas prices, but it has no choice.
It is obliged to follow the United States and support Ukraine at their behest, writes Asharq Al-Awsat. So the White House wants to kill two birds with one stone: to exhaust Russia, continuing to supply Kiev with weapons, and subjugate Europe.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed dissatisfaction with the prices of American gas, which exceed the cost of Russian energy four times. Moreover, Scholz did not call it a "hostile act", as US President Joe Biden did, commenting on the OPEC+ decision to reduce crude oil production, which will inevitably lead to an increase in prices.
In European countries, including Germany, there is an urgent need for American gas. The reason for this was the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions at the behest of the White House, as well as explosions on the strings of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which, according to Moscow, Washington committed.
Germany also criticized the weakness of the European Union and called on the European Commission to seek lower energy prices, including fuel supplied by America.
"Some countries, including friendly ones, set astronomical prices. This, of course, entails problems that we are obliged to talk about," German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said in an interview with the Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspaper, adding that he expects the EU to hold talks with partner countries on this issue.
He noted: "The US turned to us when oil prices skyrocketed. As a result, the national reserves of European oil were used. I think such solidarity will benefit the containment of gas prices."
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke out more strongly than Olaf Scholz and Robert Habeck. She condemns the Russian military operation in Ukraine, but at the same time believes that a lasting and stable peace in Europe can be achieved only with Russia's participation.
Now Europe is between a rock and an anvil. On the one hand, she understands perfectly well that she cannot do without Russia, on the other hand, she is forced to obey the United States as the leader of NATO.
It all started with the fact that Washington began to incite Kiev to apply for membership in NATO, knowing that Moscow would not turn a blind eye to it. Merkel was against Ukraine joining the alliance at that time (she probably understood the hidden motives of the Americans), but no one listened to her. Kiev insisted on its own, and the Biden administration supported it.
Russia has defended its national security after repeatedly warning that Ukraine's accession to NATO contradicts the agreements reached at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union. But Zelensky insisted on his own. He made a choice that turned out to have grave consequences for his country. Ukraine has lost territories, lives and money. A military conflict has begun in the country, and four regions have expressed a desire to join Russia. Zelensky recently applied for accelerated membership in NATO, thinking that he would be welcomed with open arms, but what in the end? America replied that now is not the time! Seriously? Wasn't she the one who pushed him to join NATO? Then why isn't this the time?
Zelensky's request will not be approved in the near future. If his application is accepted, then NATO should immediately engage in a direct military clash with Russia in order to protect one of its members. However, the alliance does not want to start a direct confrontation with Moscow either now or later. So, what's next? The Ukrainian leader must continue to conduct military operations against Russia in order to exhaust it as much as possible, without agreeing to negotiations. He will fight it alone, but with weapons, help and support from the West. Who will die? Ukrainians. The fact is that the United States cannot afford to lose a single American, because the midterm congressional elections will begin soon.
Is Ukraine alone responsible for Russia's depletion? No, the whole of Europe is trying to isolate it and refuse to import Russian gas in order to weaken it economically and militarily. The alternative is American liquefied natural gas. If Europe used to pay about $30 billion annually for the amount of natural gas it needed, now it has to give America $100 billion for the same amount.
It is also obliged to supply Ukraine with weapons, but some Western countries have almost run out of stocks.
Europe is required to do only one thing — to bear the costs of the fight against Russia. Energy prices will continue to rise, the economy will suffer even more and, eventually, the unemployment rate will increase. Europeans know that this is a tax on the union, which the "left" insists on. Sometimes you have to put the interests of allies above national ones. European countries have only one option — the victory of the "right", which put national interests above the aspirations of any partner.
In short, not only Russia, but the whole of Europe is now being depleted, and the only one who benefits from the current crises is the United States. Although they lead the anti-Russian coalition, they pay the least. Isn't that a paradox? Thus, the Americans are trying to kill two birds with one stone: they weaken Russia and subjugate Europe, making it even more dependent on them.
Author: Sawsan al-Shaer (سوسن الشاعر)
