Hours after Moscow showed signs that it intended to return to the negotiating table, Moscow kept the gas tap to the west closed, leading to a price hike of about 20%, in addition to the euro falling to its minimum value in 20 years. against the dollar and the European stock markets reacted negatively. Without any gains on the ground – on the contrary, the Ukrainian offensive in the south is causing casualties and destruction of bases at an unprecedented level – Russia is turning to the energy weapon to put pressure on the countries of the European Union.
This one has already taken to the streets. On Sunday there was a demonstration in Prague against the Czech government calling for neutrality. On Monday, it was Leipzig’s turn in Germany to be the scene of discontent in a country that, given its reliance on Russian fuels, decided to leave two nuclear power plants ready.
Less than a month after saying there was no basis for negotiations between the leaders of the countries in conflict, the Kremlin spokesman again expressed Moscow’s interest in returning to the table. Dmitri Peskov answered a question from a Russian TV program about Volodymyr Zelensky’s unwillingness to negotiate with Vladimir Putin. “Of course, on how our conditions will be fulfilled” to achieve peace, although he reaffirmed that “the operation is proceeding as planned”.
In an interview with the American channel ABC, the Ukrainian president reiterated that there were no conditions for talks. “It is a matter of entering into a dialogue with terrorists. We cannot, we cannot discuss anything with terrorists. Most countries understand that we are dealing with a terrorist state after what they have done to our people, citizens,” he said. Zelensky, too, changed his mind: in mid-March, while the Russian army was bombing Mariupol, the Ukrainian leader called for “serious and direct negotiations” with Russia’s strongman.
Kiev is not alone in this display of power. “The Kremlin insinuates about negotiations: it means the gunpowder has run out and they want to block the occupied territories. They are not allowed to breathe in any way,” former Lithuanian foreign minister Linas Linkevicius wrote on Twitter.
But faced with rising fuel prices, rising inflation and energy-saving measures (or even power cuts) in winter, Europeans may change their minds about aiding Ukraine – or at least demanding concessions from Kiev. A day after speaking with Ukraine during the peace talks, Peskov said sanctions are standing in the way of proper maintenance of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, so gas flow will not resume until they are lifted. “If the Europeans take this totally absurd decision and refuse to keep their systems, or rather Gazprom’s systems, it’s not Gazprom’s fault, it’s the politicians who decide sanctions.”
In Kherson, continued attacks on infrastructure, military bases and magazines, as well as advances on the ground by Ukrainian forces, led to a pro-Russian official announcing the suspension of plans for a “referendum” on annexing the area.
Source: DN
