Russian President Vladimir Putin has significantly increased pressure on the West in 24 hours. First, state energy company Gazprom announced that Poland and Bulgaria will no longer receive gas. Formally because the two do not want to pay in rubles, a new requirement that Russia makes to “non-friendly countries”. Then, during a speech to parliamentarians in St. Petersburg, the Russian president lashed out at the West and warned against meddling in the war in Ukraine.
Also read: Tone between Russia and the West is hardening
Russia will immediately respond to countries that get involved in the conflict, Putin said. According to him, the West is looking to divide Russia. He also stated that it is inciting Ukraine into a conflict with Russia. „If someone intends to intervene from the outside in matters that arise [in Oekraïne] creating an unacceptable strategic threat to us, it must know that we will respond to those attacks at the speed of light,” Putin said.
In such a case, the Russian armed forces would not hesitate to deploy the most modern weaponry. “We have all the necessary tools for that, which no one can brag about. We don’t brag. We will use them as needed. I want everyone to know this. We have already made all the decisions for this.”
Hypersonic Weapons
Analysts assumed that Putin was referring to brand new hypersonic weapons and an intercontinental missile that have recently been successfully tested.
Putin says the West wants to use Ukraine to attack Russia via Crimea and the Donbas. Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 and is now trying to annex the Donbas. According to Putin, the West feels threatened by the existence of Russia and is thereby endangering the whole world.
Polish Prime Minister Called Russia’s Action ‘Gas Imperialism’
In turn, the affected Poland did not go unnoticed. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called the cessation of gas supplies “a direct attack” on his country. He called the Russian move an example of “gas imperialism” and accused Moscow of attacking the European economy with measures that fuel inflation. “Russia not only carried out a murderous attack on Ukraine, but Russia also attacked Europe’s energy and food security. […] We will respond to the gun held to our head in such a way that it does not affect the Poles. Poland does not need Russian gas.”
Also read: Is Russia going to use the ‘gas weapon’ against more EU countries?
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, called turning off the gas tap “unacceptable” and a form of “blackmail”. She underlined that the EU will do everything it can to become independent from fossil fuels from Russia.
The Russian ambassador to the European Union responded that countries that have imposed financial sanctions against Moscow have no right to speak. “It is very strange to hear such accusations from people who have recently illegally seized some of my country’s foreign exchange reserves,” said Vladimir Chizhov.
Five questions about gas supplies page 3
A version of this article also appeared in the newspaper of April 28, 2022
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