The end of Russia’s gas era
Putin tells Russia’s energy sector: There’s no going back to EU
In an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin, the president noted that Russia could theoretically stop supplying gas to Western European markets immediately rather than in a month, as proposed by the EU. Moscow, he suggested, could instead concentrate on more promising markets elsewhere.
Formally, no final decision has been made. Putin has only instructed the government to study the issue. But even this preliminary statement should not be dismissed as rhetorical flourish. It carries a clear meaning.
Contrary to what some observers assume, the signal is not primarily directed at the EU or other external players. It is addressed to economic actors inside Russia who still hope for a return to the old model, one in which the country’s energy industry was built around “traditional markets” in the West.
In more human terms, the message could be interpreted as follows: are you certain that Western Europe remains a reliable partner?
The warning is simple. The current surge of EU interest in Russian oil and gas, fueled in part by instability in the Persian Gulf, may prove temporary. Betting the country’s long-term strategy on such fluctuating demand would be risky.
For this reason, the emphasis on “promising markets” in the president’s remarks should not be overlooked. Putin rarely uses words casually in public speeches. In this case the term was clearly stressed, and the implication is obvious: Western European markets are increasingly viewed as declining rather than promising.
https://www.rt.com/russia/634049-putin-tells-russias-energy-sector/
