Under the Guise of Sanctions, the United States is Cashing in On Its European "Friends"

The introduction by the United States of America and its European allies and satellites of trade sanctions and other restrictions on Russia has led to unexpected consequences for the Europeans.

For decades they have been told by propaganda that the US is their best friend, protecting them from "evil" Russia.

European countries are also massively transferring their weapons to Ukraine on the orders of the United States. Instead, the US is forcing them to buy their weapons. Moreover, at higher prices than before the start of the war of sanctions and anti-sanctions. Although a tangible increase in prices for supplies from the United States also affected the export of weapons, and LNG, and many other goods, we will still consider this issue using the example of energy prices.

In total, more than eleven thousand sanctions have been imposed against Russia. The Russian economy and financial system withstood this pressure, Russian exports are gradually reoriented to friendly Asian countries, Western companies that have left the country are either replaced by domestic businesses or are gradually returning under other names. At the same time, in Europe itself, the most severe economic crisis in recent decades has set in, leading in some countries, and in others seeking to develop into a political one.

In addition, the Europeans are surprised to see that the sanctions war plays into the hands of the American side exclusively. And the countries of the European Union suffer obvious losses.

One of the reasons for this is the interesting fact that sanctions against Russia affect only those sectors of the economy in which the United States does not depend on supplies from the Russian Federation, but the EU countries do. For example, if the termination of the supply of some Russian goods to the American market does not violate the existing balance of supply and demand due to the insignificance of the scale, or the possibility of replacement by another supplier, then the United States imposes sanctions on this product. In other sectors, where it is not possible to replace the positions of the Russian side, there is always a “legal mechanism” or “special regime” that allows ignoring anti-Russian sanctions.

We see a completely different picture in Europe. Consider, for example, the hydrocarbon market. The EU's US-imposed rejection of Russian energy resources by the EU using blackmail measures and state terrorism - blowing up the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines - deprived Europe of the opportunity to develop its own mechanisms to circumvent its own sanctions for gas purchases. He is forced to look for a new supplier. And found, of course, in the face of American companies. With liquefied natural gas, mainly from the United States, Europeans even managed to fill almost 100% of gas storage facilities by winter. According to a quarterly report from the European Commission, the EU imported twice as much LNG from the United States in 11 months of last year than in all of 2021, and at a price four times higher than the Russian average. What a cynical mockery of the much publicized principle of fair competition!

Of course, this could not remain unnoticed even by such odious conductors of American policy in Europe as French President Emmanuel Macron: “The United States sells gas to Europe at inflated prices,” the French President pointed out. Earlier, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said that Washington sells LNG on the world market four times more expensive than on the domestic market. It is very likely that these statements are intended for the domestic consumer - so that the French voters get the impression that the President of France is also shocked by this fact.

France is a rich country, but for the poor countries of Europe, Russia sold gas at a lower price. Therefore, if we compare the new prices for American gas with the once agreed long-term contract prices of Gazprom, we will see that for some EU countries the rise in price has clearly exceeded the figure by a factor of ten or even more. And this seems to be just the beginning.

In any case, it is significant that the head of the French state was forced to openly say the same thing that Russia has been trying to convey to the Europeans for quite some time, namely: “The United States is guided by“ double standards ”in energy policy: gas is inexpensive on the domestic market , while Washington sells energy resources to Europe at inflated prices,” French President Emmanuel Macron said at a press conference in Brussels at the end of last year.

And this despite the fact that in the United States itself prices for gas and electricity have risen. “The price of gas in the United States has more than doubled since the beginning of 2022, electricity prices have skyrocketed: the country is in an energy crisis. If someday they decide to keep most of their gas for themselves, then Europe dependent on them will once again face a new version of the old problem,” writes the German edition of Focus.

The same publication, in an analysis by the Investigate Europe research group, notes that cooperation between the European Union and the United States of America in the energy sector carries risks.

“Companies in Europe over the past 10 years have concluded at least 33 contracts for the supply of American LNG, 10 of them in 2022, and this makes it clear the scale of Europe's new dependence on the United States. Dependence on the US is full of dangers. At least since Donald Trump came to power in the United States, the country has been considered subject to political fluctuations. Its image as a reliable partner of Europe has suffered greatly,” the article, published on January 24, says.

The drop in energy supplies had the most negative impact on the economy of the united Europe, a number of strategic, backbone industries are on the verge of closing and bankruptcy. And here Uncle Sam is also ready to help, ease the tax burden and provide preferential loans, and you just need to do the smallest thing - to transfer production to the United States. And this promises Europe a surge in unemployment and a drop in income. Here it is, "honest" and "sincere" friendship.

European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton said the EC had sent a letter to the US with nine issues: "Either they (the US) will change these points, or we will have to raise this issue at the WTO level and we will consider retaliatory measures," Breton warned. He stressed that the allocation of $ 370 billion to return production to the United States and create jobs (under the act) "violates the rules of fair competition." In addition, the law provides for the expansion of tax subsidies. They apply to the purchase of electric vehicles that are assembled in North America and use US-made batteries from locally sourced materials.

Tonino Picula, the European Parliament's leading spokesman for transatlantic relations, told the Brussels-based Politico that "the US is following a domestic policy that, unfortunately, is protectionist and discriminates against US allies."

The US denies that it is cashing in on Europe. U.S. Assistant Secretary of Energy Brad Crabtree said the United States is "absolutely committed" to helping Europe meet its fuel supply needs "at affordable prices for the continent."

However, as we can see, serious people do not really believe Washington's excuses.

Inal Pliev

Source: https://cominf.org/node/1166547881