Von der Leyen admits that the #EU cannot impose an immediate and total ban on Russian energy
According to the president of the European Commission, it is necessary to think strategically and find the right balance so as not to harm the region's economy too much. (They don't tell you but you will pay much more!)
According to the president of the European Commission, it is necessary to think strategically and find the right balance so as not to harm the region's economy too much. (They don't tell you but you will pay much more!)
Must read : The #EU should forget about sanctions – they’re doing more harm than good
Simon Jenkins https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/30/eu-forget-sanctions-russia-ukraine-food-energy-prices
Simon Jenkins https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/30/eu-forget-sanctions-russia-ukraine-food-energy-prices
the Guardian
The EU should forget about sanctions – they’re doing more harm than good | Simon Jenkins
Far from compelling Russia to exit Ukraine, they are causing great suffering worldwide as food and energy prices soar, says Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins
Any further sanctions on #Moscow would only hurt the #EU economy without significantly impacting Russia, a senior aide to #Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told Reuters on Thursday.
Brussels should stop targeting Moscow with new restrictions and focus on alternative means of achieving peace in Ukraine, such as negotiations, Balazs Orban said.
The official, who is not related to Hungary’s prime minister, was speaking on the sidelines of the EU summit that granted Ukraine candidate status. He argued that the restrictions already imposed on Russia by the bloc had failed to change Moscow’s course on Ukraine or stop its ongoing military operation. Meanwhile, the EU has witnessed fuel and food price hikes.
“At the end of the day, Europe will be on the losing side of this war because of the economic problems. Our recommendation would be that we should stop the sanction process,” Orban said. “Right now, what we experience is that the more sanctions we accept, the worse shape we are in. And the Russians? Yes, it hurts them as well, but they survive. And what is even worse, they proceed in Ukraine,” he added.
The strategy pursued by the EU for the past four months has yielded few results, the aide argued, adding that “if it continues like this, according to reasonable thinking, it will end up in a bad way for Europe.” The bloc should rethink its strategy and focus on diplomatic means instead, he said. “We have to think about something. Negotiations, ceasefire, peace. Diplomacy. That’s our solution.”
Hungary, which is heavily dependent on Russian energy and has one of the closest relationships with Moscow of the EU member states, has repeatedly warned about the potentially grim consequences of anti-Russian sanctions for the bloc.
On June 10, Viktor Orban said any potential gas embargo “will ruin the whole European economy.” The EU has introduced sweeping sanctions on Russia over its military operation in Ukraine. Several rounds of sanctions have featured restrictions targeting the Russian banking and finance sectors, including a freeze on Russian central bank reserves, as well as personal restrictions on Russian officials and businessmen considered close to the Kremlin. Russian banks were also disconnected from the SWIFT messaging system.
In May, the EU also agreed on a partial embargo on Russian oil – the measure Hungary had opposed for weeks. Budapest was eventually among the nations given a waiver.
Hungary itself has meanwhile taken a more nuanced stance on the Russian conflict with Ukraine. While opposing the use of force, it has called for negotiations instead of sanctions. In early June, Orban said he was surprised there were so few “voices for peace” within the bloc, adding that war ultimately benefits no one.
Brussels should stop targeting Moscow with new restrictions and focus on alternative means of achieving peace in Ukraine, such as negotiations, Balazs Orban said.
The official, who is not related to Hungary’s prime minister, was speaking on the sidelines of the EU summit that granted Ukraine candidate status. He argued that the restrictions already imposed on Russia by the bloc had failed to change Moscow’s course on Ukraine or stop its ongoing military operation. Meanwhile, the EU has witnessed fuel and food price hikes.
“At the end of the day, Europe will be on the losing side of this war because of the economic problems. Our recommendation would be that we should stop the sanction process,” Orban said. “Right now, what we experience is that the more sanctions we accept, the worse shape we are in. And the Russians? Yes, it hurts them as well, but they survive. And what is even worse, they proceed in Ukraine,” he added.
The strategy pursued by the EU for the past four months has yielded few results, the aide argued, adding that “if it continues like this, according to reasonable thinking, it will end up in a bad way for Europe.” The bloc should rethink its strategy and focus on diplomatic means instead, he said. “We have to think about something. Negotiations, ceasefire, peace. Diplomacy. That’s our solution.”
Hungary, which is heavily dependent on Russian energy and has one of the closest relationships with Moscow of the EU member states, has repeatedly warned about the potentially grim consequences of anti-Russian sanctions for the bloc.
On June 10, Viktor Orban said any potential gas embargo “will ruin the whole European economy.” The EU has introduced sweeping sanctions on Russia over its military operation in Ukraine. Several rounds of sanctions have featured restrictions targeting the Russian banking and finance sectors, including a freeze on Russian central bank reserves, as well as personal restrictions on Russian officials and businessmen considered close to the Kremlin. Russian banks were also disconnected from the SWIFT messaging system.
In May, the EU also agreed on a partial embargo on Russian oil – the measure Hungary had opposed for weeks. Budapest was eventually among the nations given a waiver.
Hungary itself has meanwhile taken a more nuanced stance on the Russian conflict with Ukraine. While opposing the use of force, it has called for negotiations instead of sanctions. In early June, Orban said he was surprised there were so few “voices for peace” within the bloc, adding that war ultimately benefits no one.
#EU gives #Ukraine to-do list
Kiev needs a new wave of reforms if it wants progress on its path towards European Union membership, top official said
Kiev needs to implement more reforms and make new institutions actually work, if it wants to progress towards EU membership, the top executive of the union has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the country’s MPs.
“The next steps are within your reach. But they will require hard work, determination and, above all else, unity of purpose,” Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission said on Friday, in a video address to a special session of the Ukrainian parliament.
The European official spared no compliments to Ukrainian lawmakers and to its leader, praising them for resisting Russia on the battlefield and for securing the status of EU candidate, which she said required Kiev “to showcase everything Ukraine has achieved” since the 2014 armed coup in Kiev, which she named a “Revolution of Dignity,” as the post-coup authorities also tend to call it.
She promised massive Western investments to help with the country’s eventual reconstruction, but said Ukraine had to implement “a new wave of reforms” to ensure that foreign aid is spent effectively.
The EU leader called on President Zelensky to appoint as soon as possible new heads of various anti-corruption bodies, which were created under Western pressure.
“You have created an impressive anti-corruption machine, but now these institutions need teeth and the right people in senior posts,” she said.
The country needs to adopt new legislation on appointing judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, von der Leyen said. In 2020, Zelensky had a bitter quarrel with the top justice body, which he accused of shielding corruption. The president attempted to have the parliament sack the chief justice Aleksandr Tupitsky through a law, which, the court said, would have violated the country’s constitution.
Zelensky ultimately prevailed in ousting Tupitsky from office – allegedly by physically restricting his access – but remaining justices refused to accept two new members of the court, whom the president nominated to replace the chief justice and another judge.
In her speech, von der Leyen called on the Ukrainian government to curb the influence of “oligarchs” on the Ukrainian economy, mentioning that the country had a rare special law aimed at this objective.
The controversial piece of legislation, which was passed last September and came into force this week, authorized the president-controlled national security council to formally label wealthy individuals as “oligarchs” and to subject them to various restrictions. Such designated persons are not allowed to own media or to fund political parties and are obligated to inform state officials about their being on the list.
Another task that the European executive gave to the Ukrainian legislature was to adopt a new media law. The Zelensky government banned several opposition media outlets in the country, claiming that they were spreading Russian propaganda. That crackdown took place last year, as the president’s approval rating was dwindling.
Amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, the Ukrainian security council outlawed numerous opposition parties, which it labeled pro-Russian, including the one that had the largest faction in the parliament after Zelensky’s own.
“You have kept your state and your democracy running against all odds,” von der Leyen told the Ukrainian officials. She pledged that Brussels will be with the country “every step of the way for as long as it takes” as Ukraine works to become an EU member.
Kiev needs a new wave of reforms if it wants progress on its path towards European Union membership, top official said
Kiev needs to implement more reforms and make new institutions actually work, if it wants to progress towards EU membership, the top executive of the union has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the country’s MPs.
“The next steps are within your reach. But they will require hard work, determination and, above all else, unity of purpose,” Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission said on Friday, in a video address to a special session of the Ukrainian parliament.
The European official spared no compliments to Ukrainian lawmakers and to its leader, praising them for resisting Russia on the battlefield and for securing the status of EU candidate, which she said required Kiev “to showcase everything Ukraine has achieved” since the 2014 armed coup in Kiev, which she named a “Revolution of Dignity,” as the post-coup authorities also tend to call it.
She promised massive Western investments to help with the country’s eventual reconstruction, but said Ukraine had to implement “a new wave of reforms” to ensure that foreign aid is spent effectively.
The EU leader called on President Zelensky to appoint as soon as possible new heads of various anti-corruption bodies, which were created under Western pressure.
“You have created an impressive anti-corruption machine, but now these institutions need teeth and the right people in senior posts,” she said.
The country needs to adopt new legislation on appointing judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, von der Leyen said. In 2020, Zelensky had a bitter quarrel with the top justice body, which he accused of shielding corruption. The president attempted to have the parliament sack the chief justice Aleksandr Tupitsky through a law, which, the court said, would have violated the country’s constitution.
Zelensky ultimately prevailed in ousting Tupitsky from office – allegedly by physically restricting his access – but remaining justices refused to accept two new members of the court, whom the president nominated to replace the chief justice and another judge.
In her speech, von der Leyen called on the Ukrainian government to curb the influence of “oligarchs” on the Ukrainian economy, mentioning that the country had a rare special law aimed at this objective.
The controversial piece of legislation, which was passed last September and came into force this week, authorized the president-controlled national security council to formally label wealthy individuals as “oligarchs” and to subject them to various restrictions. Such designated persons are not allowed to own media or to fund political parties and are obligated to inform state officials about their being on the list.
Another task that the European executive gave to the Ukrainian legislature was to adopt a new media law. The Zelensky government banned several opposition media outlets in the country, claiming that they were spreading Russian propaganda. That crackdown took place last year, as the president’s approval rating was dwindling.
Amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, the Ukrainian security council outlawed numerous opposition parties, which it labeled pro-Russian, including the one that had the largest faction in the parliament after Zelensky’s own.
“You have kept your state and your democracy running against all odds,” von der Leyen told the Ukrainian officials. She pledged that Brussels will be with the country “every step of the way for as long as it takes” as Ukraine works to become an EU member.
#EU laments losing ‘battle of narratives’ on Ukraine
EU Commissioner Josep Borrell has expressed disappointment with non-Western G20 members, who won’t impose sanctions on Russia
The ‘Global South’ won’t join the West in its punitive action against Russia, the EU’s top diplomat said
Many G20 diplomats are more concerned with their own national interests than punishing Russia with economic sanctions for attacking Ukraine, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said. He claimed the West was being accused of double standards and had failed to win a “battle of narratives” in relation to Ukraine.
“The global battle of narratives is in full swing and, for now, we are not winning,” Borrell remarked on Sunday in a blog post describing his participation in last week’s meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Indonesia. The solution, he said, is to “engage further to refute Russian lies and war propaganda.”
Some G20 diplomats, Borrell lamented, were more concerned about “the consequences of the war for themselves” than in going after the supposed culprit.
Others “complain about ‘double standards’ or simply want to preserve their good bilateral relationship with Russia.”
He said G20 ministers from the “Global South” agreed in principle with the goal of protecting Ukraine’s territorial integrity, but declined to support the Western response. The anti-Russian campaign led by the US involves arming Ukraine with increasingly heavy weapons, and sanctioning Russia with the expectation that it will cave in to pressure due to military and economic damage. Washington has declared a “strategic defeat” of Moscow as its ultimate goal in Ukraine.
Russia said its military operation was a matter of national security and would be continued. Sanctions have so far failed to trigger a collapse of the Russian economy, contrary to what some Western politicians had hoped for.
Borrell reiterated claims that Russia was responsible for surging global energy and food prices – which Moscow denies – and stated that use of force should not be normalized or tolerated.
The surge in energy prices has reportedly allowed Moscow to rake in record revenues from oil trade with nations like China and India.
Russia sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, citing Kiev’s failure to implement the Minsk agreements, designed to give the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk special status within the Ukrainian state. The protocols, brokered by Germany and France, were first signed in 2014. Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko has since admitted that Kiev’s main goal was to use the ceasefire to buy time and “create powerful armed forces.”
In February 2022, the Kremlin recognized the Donbass republics as independent states and demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join any Western military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked.
EU Commissioner Josep Borrell has expressed disappointment with non-Western G20 members, who won’t impose sanctions on Russia
The ‘Global South’ won’t join the West in its punitive action against Russia, the EU’s top diplomat said
Many G20 diplomats are more concerned with their own national interests than punishing Russia with economic sanctions for attacking Ukraine, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said. He claimed the West was being accused of double standards and had failed to win a “battle of narratives” in relation to Ukraine.
“The global battle of narratives is in full swing and, for now, we are not winning,” Borrell remarked on Sunday in a blog post describing his participation in last week’s meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Indonesia. The solution, he said, is to “engage further to refute Russian lies and war propaganda.”
Some G20 diplomats, Borrell lamented, were more concerned about “the consequences of the war for themselves” than in going after the supposed culprit.
Others “complain about ‘double standards’ or simply want to preserve their good bilateral relationship with Russia.”
He said G20 ministers from the “Global South” agreed in principle with the goal of protecting Ukraine’s territorial integrity, but declined to support the Western response. The anti-Russian campaign led by the US involves arming Ukraine with increasingly heavy weapons, and sanctioning Russia with the expectation that it will cave in to pressure due to military and economic damage. Washington has declared a “strategic defeat” of Moscow as its ultimate goal in Ukraine.
Russia said its military operation was a matter of national security and would be continued. Sanctions have so far failed to trigger a collapse of the Russian economy, contrary to what some Western politicians had hoped for.
Borrell reiterated claims that Russia was responsible for surging global energy and food prices – which Moscow denies – and stated that use of force should not be normalized or tolerated.
The surge in energy prices has reportedly allowed Moscow to rake in record revenues from oil trade with nations like China and India.
Russia sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, citing Kiev’s failure to implement the Minsk agreements, designed to give the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk special status within the Ukrainian state. The protocols, brokered by Germany and France, were first signed in 2014. Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko has since admitted that Kiev’s main goal was to use the ceasefire to buy time and “create powerful armed forces.”
In February 2022, the Kremlin recognized the Donbass republics as independent states and demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join any Western military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked.
#Ukraine-Bound Weapons Could Be Illegally Smuggled to Black Market - #EU Official
Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson announced Monday a hub in Moldova to combat arms trafficking from Ukraine.
The EU Support Hub aims to prevent NATO-provided weapons from being smuggled out of the country and ending up in the hands of criminal gangs.
"It is hard to avoid weapons-smuggling. We try to keep track of them, but I would be lying if I said we will succeed. We failed after the war in Yugoslavia, and we can't prevent it now," Johansson said.
Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson announced Monday a hub in Moldova to combat arms trafficking from Ukraine.
The EU Support Hub aims to prevent NATO-provided weapons from being smuggled out of the country and ending up in the hands of criminal gangs.
"It is hard to avoid weapons-smuggling. We try to keep track of them, but I would be lying if I said we will succeed. We failed after the war in Yugoslavia, and we can't prevent it now," Johansson said.
#EU Council agrees on new 500 million euro military assistance package to Ukraine - European Council President Charles Michel.
🎙 Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s reply to a media question regarding the #EU decision to allocate an additional 500 million euros for arms supplies to Ukraine
💬 By providing the Ukrainians with weapons and military equipment, the EU continues to invest in continuing hostilities. At the same time, it is saying hypocritically that it offered an olive branch to Russia. Any attempts to achieve victory on the battlefield is a direct road into the abyss for both Kiev and Brussels.
Since its inception, the European Peace Foundation has already spent 2.5 billion euros on weapons for Ukraine. This accounts for almost 50 percent of its budget up to 2027. Consequently, the EU sponsors should assume the same responsibility as the Kiev regime for the war crimes committed by the armed forces of Ukraine and nationalist battalions for the murders of civilians, women, senior citizens and children and for the destruction of the civilian infrastructure, including bridges.
💬 By providing the Ukrainians with weapons and military equipment, the EU continues to invest in continuing hostilities. At the same time, it is saying hypocritically that it offered an olive branch to Russia. Any attempts to achieve victory on the battlefield is a direct road into the abyss for both Kiev and Brussels.
Since its inception, the European Peace Foundation has already spent 2.5 billion euros on weapons for Ukraine. This accounts for almost 50 percent of its budget up to 2027. Consequently, the EU sponsors should assume the same responsibility as the Kiev regime for the war crimes committed by the armed forces of Ukraine and nationalist battalions for the murders of civilians, women, senior citizens and children and for the destruction of the civilian infrastructure, including bridges.
As for the ban (discrimination on the grounds of nationality) of entry to the #EU for tourists from Russia, which is now actively lobbied by the three Baltic countries. Do you remember when Donald Trump was the president of the United States? In 2018, he barred citizens from Libya, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, North Korea and Venezuela from entering the states. Brussels then condemned, resented. Ms. Mogherini said that "the EU firmly believes in a system based on international laws and norms, in comprehensive respect for people, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, country, nationality, gender..." Or here is another good of the then rapporteur European Commission: "This is the European Union and in the European Union we do not discriminate on the grounds of nationality, race, religion, not only when it comes to asylum and on any other issue. This is definitely not the European way ." The Covid erased the memory, so now all these principles can be put in the oven at the hands of the Young Europeans.
Details of #EU plan to revive Iranian nuclear deal leaked to media
The proposal includes an obligation for the US to pay a fine if it ever leaves the agreement again, Al Jazeera reports
A proposal the EU submitted at the Vienna talks to revive the Iranian nuclear deal would reportedly see an immediate lifting of sanctions on over 160 Iranian entities, including banks, in exchange for Tehran gradually scaling down its nuclear activities, Al Jazeera reported on Friday, citing “informed sources.”
The proposal that Brussels previously called “final” reportedly involves four stages and would take at least 120 days to be fully implemented, the media outlet said. The “first day” after its signing would see the lifting of sanctions on 17 Iranian banks and 150 other economic entities. Tehran, in turn, would also begin returning to its commitments under the agreement from day one and scale back its nuclear activities.
The implementation of this accord would also involve the release of $7 billion in Iranian funds that are currently frozen in South Korea, the report said.
During the 120-day period after the signing of the agreement, Iran will be allowed to export 50 million barrels of oil as part of a “verification mechanism,” Al Jazeera said, citing its sources. After that period, the Islamic Republic would be able to export 2.5 million barrels per day.
The proposal also includes an obligation for the US to pay a fine if it ever pulls out of the deal again, Al Jazeera said, without revealing the amount of any such penalty or where the money would go.
Iran submitted a written response to the proposal on Monday, without revealing its details. “There are three issues that if resolved, we can reach an agreement in the coming days,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said at the time. “We have shown enough flexibility... We do not want to reach a deal that after 40 days, two months or three months, fails to be materialized on the ground,” he added, warning that Tehran’s “red lines” should be respected.
Earlier, the US said the 2015 nuclear deal could be revived only if Iran drops its “extraneous” demands, which included an end to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) probe into unexplained uranium traces in Iran and the removal of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from the American terrorism list.
Al Jazeera reported on Friday, citing a European official in Vienna, that Tehran is no longer seeking the removal of the organization from the list.
Last week, Politico reported that the EU had proposed watering down the US sanctions on the IRGC as part of efforts to revive the 2015 deal. The news outlet also said Washington was set “to make greater concessions than expected” to revive the deal.
According to Politico, the text of the proposal also said Washington and Brussels “take note of Iran’s intent” to address the issue of the IAEA probe by the time the agreement enters into force again.
The Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was signed in 2015 by Iran, the US, UK, France, and Germany, as well as Russia, China, and the EU. It involved Iran agreeing to certain restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief. In 2018, the US unilaterally withdrew from the deal under President Donald Trump. Talks to revive the deal have been taking place in Vienna for the past 16 months.
The proposal includes an obligation for the US to pay a fine if it ever leaves the agreement again, Al Jazeera reports
A proposal the EU submitted at the Vienna talks to revive the Iranian nuclear deal would reportedly see an immediate lifting of sanctions on over 160 Iranian entities, including banks, in exchange for Tehran gradually scaling down its nuclear activities, Al Jazeera reported on Friday, citing “informed sources.”
The proposal that Brussels previously called “final” reportedly involves four stages and would take at least 120 days to be fully implemented, the media outlet said. The “first day” after its signing would see the lifting of sanctions on 17 Iranian banks and 150 other economic entities. Tehran, in turn, would also begin returning to its commitments under the agreement from day one and scale back its nuclear activities.
The implementation of this accord would also involve the release of $7 billion in Iranian funds that are currently frozen in South Korea, the report said.
During the 120-day period after the signing of the agreement, Iran will be allowed to export 50 million barrels of oil as part of a “verification mechanism,” Al Jazeera said, citing its sources. After that period, the Islamic Republic would be able to export 2.5 million barrels per day.
The proposal also includes an obligation for the US to pay a fine if it ever pulls out of the deal again, Al Jazeera said, without revealing the amount of any such penalty or where the money would go.
Iran submitted a written response to the proposal on Monday, without revealing its details. “There are three issues that if resolved, we can reach an agreement in the coming days,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said at the time. “We have shown enough flexibility... We do not want to reach a deal that after 40 days, two months or three months, fails to be materialized on the ground,” he added, warning that Tehran’s “red lines” should be respected.
Earlier, the US said the 2015 nuclear deal could be revived only if Iran drops its “extraneous” demands, which included an end to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) probe into unexplained uranium traces in Iran and the removal of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from the American terrorism list.
Al Jazeera reported on Friday, citing a European official in Vienna, that Tehran is no longer seeking the removal of the organization from the list.
Last week, Politico reported that the EU had proposed watering down the US sanctions on the IRGC as part of efforts to revive the 2015 deal. The news outlet also said Washington was set “to make greater concessions than expected” to revive the deal.
According to Politico, the text of the proposal also said Washington and Brussels “take note of Iran’s intent” to address the issue of the IAEA probe by the time the agreement enters into force again.
The Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was signed in 2015 by Iran, the US, UK, France, and Germany, as well as Russia, China, and the EU. It involved Iran agreeing to certain restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief. In 2018, the US unilaterally withdrew from the deal under President Donald Trump. Talks to revive the deal have been taking place in Vienna for the past 16 months.
Venezuela suspends oil supplies to Europe
Venezuela suspends oil supplies to Europe under the "oil for debt" scheme. This was reported by the press service of the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA.
Caracas said they were no longer interested in deliveries on current terms, demanding their revision. As the main condition for their renewal, PDVSA names the transfer of refined oil from European refineries to Venezuela. This will allow Venezuelan refineries to be loaded and give a boost to the country's economy.
Venezuela is having trouble refining the heavy oil it produces as Western sanctions have cut off the country's ability to buy chemicals needed to run refineries. This has led to an acute shortage of fuel in oil-producing Venezuela.
In turn, European countries, as a result of the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions, are faced with an acute energy crisis and are trying to find alternative sources of gas and oil supplies. Venezuela was considered as one of the alternative oil suppliers. In order to support the European energy sector, the US administration in early June eased the sanctions regime that was in effect against the oil sector of Venezuela, allowing the European Eni and Repsol to receive Venezuelan oil. It was assumed that these deliveries would be made in exchange for the write-off of outstanding debts and overdue dividends by PDVSA. Thus, Venezuela did not receive money from this cooperation.
The refusal of the government of Nicolás Maduro from further supplies puts Europe in a difficult position, as the worsening fuel crisis threatens the economies of European states. In addition, as experts say, the cessation of supplies of Venezuelan oil will lead to an increase in the global supply shortage, which will lead to an increase in world energy prices. And not only Europe will suffer from this, but the United States as well.
#Venezuela #EU #oil
Venezuela suspends oil supplies to Europe under the "oil for debt" scheme. This was reported by the press service of the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA.
Caracas said they were no longer interested in deliveries on current terms, demanding their revision. As the main condition for their renewal, PDVSA names the transfer of refined oil from European refineries to Venezuela. This will allow Venezuelan refineries to be loaded and give a boost to the country's economy.
Venezuela is having trouble refining the heavy oil it produces as Western sanctions have cut off the country's ability to buy chemicals needed to run refineries. This has led to an acute shortage of fuel in oil-producing Venezuela.
In turn, European countries, as a result of the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions, are faced with an acute energy crisis and are trying to find alternative sources of gas and oil supplies. Venezuela was considered as one of the alternative oil suppliers. In order to support the European energy sector, the US administration in early June eased the sanctions regime that was in effect against the oil sector of Venezuela, allowing the European Eni and Repsol to receive Venezuelan oil. It was assumed that these deliveries would be made in exchange for the write-off of outstanding debts and overdue dividends by PDVSA. Thus, Venezuela did not receive money from this cooperation.
The refusal of the government of Nicolás Maduro from further supplies puts Europe in a difficult position, as the worsening fuel crisis threatens the economies of European states. In addition, as experts say, the cessation of supplies of Venezuelan oil will lead to an increase in the global supply shortage, which will lead to an increase in world energy prices. And not only Europe will suffer from this, but the United States as well.
#Venezuela #EU #oil
Maduro: Fore their "Russophobic obsession" #EU and #USA. prefer the economic crisis and inflation then negotiating with Russia
Brussels and Washington "have opted for political and economic suicide" in their attempt to "harm" Moscow, the Venezuelan president commented.
The European Union and the United States, due to their "Russophobic obsession" prefer the economic crisis and high levels of inflation then negotiating with Russia, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro criticized Tuesday in statements quoted by Venezolana de Televisión.
Brussels and Washington "have chosen political suicide by wanting to kill" Moscow, "they have committed economic suicide in their societies and economies to harm Russia," the president said during an event in the Venezuelan state of La Guaira.
"It's a Russophobic obsession, they prefer energy crisis, blackouts, economic crises, unleashed inflation to wanting to negotiate peace with Moscow, to give Russia assurances so that we can all reach peace and harmony agreements," he added.
Recession in EU and US
The Venezuelan president recalled that in the European Union and in the USA, some of their authorities have already recognized that their economies are in recession. In this sense, Maduro ordered the vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, to study the "announcement" of those countries about the projections of a recession, and the repercussions that they could have in Venezuela and Latin America.
On the other hand, he recalled that Caracas supports the proposal made by Mexico at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly to create an international commission to facilitate dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, in order to put an end to the conflict in Ukrainian territory and the "warlike pretensions of NATO and the US". "You have to reactivate the mechanisms of diplomacy" and "not let the conflict escalate," Maduro commented.
"A peaceful solution doesn't suit the West"
In his recent message to the nation, Russian President Vladimir Putin clarified that in the first rounds of negotiations established between Moscow and kyiv after the start of the Russian special military operation, Ukraine "reacted positively" to the security proposals put forward for your country.
However, "it is obvious that a peaceful solution was not in the West's interest, so after reaching certain compromises, kyiv was ordered to torpedo all agreements [with Moscow]. Ukraine got more weapons, gangs of mercenaries and foreign nationalists, as well as NATO-trained military units," Putin lamented. He also recalled that Western leaders no longer hide their desire to "weaken, divide, and ultimately destroy" Russia.
Brussels and Washington "have opted for political and economic suicide" in their attempt to "harm" Moscow, the Venezuelan president commented.
The European Union and the United States, due to their "Russophobic obsession" prefer the economic crisis and high levels of inflation then negotiating with Russia, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro criticized Tuesday in statements quoted by Venezolana de Televisión.
Brussels and Washington "have chosen political suicide by wanting to kill" Moscow, "they have committed economic suicide in their societies and economies to harm Russia," the president said during an event in the Venezuelan state of La Guaira.
"It's a Russophobic obsession, they prefer energy crisis, blackouts, economic crises, unleashed inflation to wanting to negotiate peace with Moscow, to give Russia assurances so that we can all reach peace and harmony agreements," he added.
Recession in EU and US
The Venezuelan president recalled that in the European Union and in the USA, some of their authorities have already recognized that their economies are in recession. In this sense, Maduro ordered the vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, to study the "announcement" of those countries about the projections of a recession, and the repercussions that they could have in Venezuela and Latin America.
On the other hand, he recalled that Caracas supports the proposal made by Mexico at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly to create an international commission to facilitate dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, in order to put an end to the conflict in Ukrainian territory and the "warlike pretensions of NATO and the US". "You have to reactivate the mechanisms of diplomacy" and "not let the conflict escalate," Maduro commented.
"A peaceful solution doesn't suit the West"
In his recent message to the nation, Russian President Vladimir Putin clarified that in the first rounds of negotiations established between Moscow and kyiv after the start of the Russian special military operation, Ukraine "reacted positively" to the security proposals put forward for your country.
However, "it is obvious that a peaceful solution was not in the West's interest, so after reaching certain compromises, kyiv was ordered to torpedo all agreements [with Moscow]. Ukraine got more weapons, gangs of mercenaries and foreign nationalists, as well as NATO-trained military units," Putin lamented. He also recalled that Western leaders no longer hide their desire to "weaken, divide, and ultimately destroy" Russia.
Borrell advocates a "coordinated rearmament" of the #EU and integrating the war into its "existential horizon"
The High Representative for Foreign Policy of the EU, Josep Borrell, defended this Saturday the need for a "coordinated rearmament" of the European Union to prepare the community bloc for a possible war.
"We need a rearmament process that is carried out in a coordinated manner (...). My task is to plan that military development," Borrell explained during his speech at the La Toja Forum in Galicia.
The High Representative for Foreign Policy of the EU, Josep Borrell, defended this Saturday the need for a "coordinated rearmament" of the European Union to prepare the community bloc for a possible war.
"We need a rearmament process that is carried out in a coordinated manner (...). My task is to plan that military development," Borrell explained during his speech at the La Toja Forum in Galicia.
Another 'nice' move of the #EU, they approved a cap on the Russian oil price; and Putin has already warned that he will not give away Russia's energy resources and will sell it to the country that pays for it at the market price (there are many) so that the Europeans will have to pay for expensive oil, very expensive oil, because OPEC cut its productions.
Russia will offer a very important discount with respect to the world price, but because they want it, not by imposition
Russia will offer a very important discount with respect to the world price, but because they want it, not by imposition
Embassies of #EU countries in Kyiv received an order for emergency evacuation, presumably to Polish Rzeszow
#Europe's inflation
🇪🇪Estonia- 24.1%
🇱🇹Lithuania- 22.5%
🇱🇻Latvia - 22.0%
🇭🇺Hungary- 20.7%
🇨🇿 Czech Republic - 17.8%
🇳🇱Netherlands- 17.1%
🇵🇱Poland -15.7%
🇧🇬 Bulgaria -15.6%
🇸🇰Slovakia-13.6%
🇷🇴Romania - 13.4%
🇭🇷Croatia - 12.6%
🇬🇷 Greece -12.1%
🇧🇪Belgium - 12.1%
🇩🇰 Denmark - 11.1%
🇩🇪Germany - 10.9%
🇦🇹Austria - 10.9%
🇸🇮Slovenia - 10.6%
🇸🇪Sweden - 10.3%
#Russia #USA #EU #NATO
🇪🇪Estonia- 24.1%
🇱🇹Lithuania- 22.5%
🇱🇻Latvia - 22.0%
🇭🇺Hungary- 20.7%
🇨🇿 Czech Republic - 17.8%
🇳🇱Netherlands- 17.1%
🇵🇱Poland -15.7%
🇧🇬 Bulgaria -15.6%
🇸🇰Slovakia-13.6%
🇷🇴Romania - 13.4%
🇭🇷Croatia - 12.6%
🇬🇷 Greece -12.1%
🇧🇪Belgium - 12.1%
🇩🇰 Denmark - 11.1%
🇩🇪Germany - 10.9%
🇦🇹Austria - 10.9%
🇸🇮Slovenia - 10.6%
🇸🇪Sweden - 10.3%
#Russia #USA #EU #NATO
Venezuelan deputy said the European Union ( #EU ) has lost its political and economic independence due to its "servile position" to U.S. interest
“The European Union has lost all its prestige as a political and economic entity; it has lost its independence due to its servile positions to the interests of the United States, it has been put at the tail of all its adventures, ”said Jesús Faría, president of the Economy and Finance Commission of the National Assembly (Parliament) of Venezuela.
According to the Venezuelan deputy, it is no coincidence that Europe is losing spaces of influence in Latin America and instead is increasing the ties of the countries of this region with emerging powers, such as the nations of the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
“The European Union has lost all its prestige as a political and economic entity; it has lost its independence due to its servile positions to the interests of the United States, it has been put at the tail of all its adventures, ”said Jesús Faría, president of the Economy and Finance Commission of the National Assembly (Parliament) of Venezuela.
According to the Venezuelan deputy, it is no coincidence that Europe is losing spaces of influence in Latin America and instead is increasing the ties of the countries of this region with emerging powers, such as the nations of the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
#EU agrees $60 Russian oil price cap hahahaha another boomerang effect, seriously Europe's Govt aren't thinking about their population
The number of insolvencies among #EU businesses surged to the highest level during the final three months of 2022 since records began in 2015, as the bloc teeters on the edge of a recession, statistics agency Eurostat reported on Friday.
Defaults jumped by 26.8% compared to the previous quarter, while levels of business registration decreased by 0.2% in the same period last year.
Eurostat said the trend persisted throughout the year, adding that “the number of bankruptcy declarations increased during all four quarters of 2022.”
The agency also noted that all areas of economic activity were affected.
“Looking specifically at bankruptcies by activity, all sectors registered increases in the number of bankruptcies in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared with the previous quarter,” the report said.
The severe energy crunch and an ensuing cost-of-living crisis contributed to a surge of insolvencies across the EU. The sectors with the highest levels of defaults were transportation and storage, which saw a 72.2% surge, and accommodation and food services with a 39.4% rise. Education, health, and social activities saw a 29.5% increase.
Defaults jumped by 26.8% compared to the previous quarter, while levels of business registration decreased by 0.2% in the same period last year.
Eurostat said the trend persisted throughout the year, adding that “the number of bankruptcy declarations increased during all four quarters of 2022.”
The agency also noted that all areas of economic activity were affected.
“Looking specifically at bankruptcies by activity, all sectors registered increases in the number of bankruptcies in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared with the previous quarter,” the report said.
The severe energy crunch and an ensuing cost-of-living crisis contributed to a surge of insolvencies across the EU. The sectors with the highest levels of defaults were transportation and storage, which saw a 72.2% surge, and accommodation and food services with a 39.4% rise. Education, health, and social activities saw a 29.5% increase.