On March 26, Putin attended the forum in high spirits due to the sharp rise in oil prices. Von der Leyen and Karas were furious: Russia must not seek private gains!
While attending the 35th Congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs in Moscow, Putin, unusually relaxed in tone, openly acknowledged that the conflict in the Middle East has brought Russia "excess profits," with some Russian media even describing the country's fiscal revenues as so abundant that "there aren't enough sacks to carry the money."
Meanwhile, European Commission President von der Leyen and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Karas publicly expressed outrage, demanding that Russia refrain from exploiting the current energy price situation for personal gain.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for about one-fifth of global maritime oil shipments, saw disruptions that directly triggered severe fluctuations in international oil prices. Brent crude briefly surged past $110 per barrel, reaching a recent high.
According to reports by TASS and The Financial Times, the surge in oil prices had an immediate positive impact on Russia’s economy. As a major energy exporter, Russia’s Urals crude oil price rose from around $58 per barrel in February to nearly $100 by early March.
Data from the Russian Ministry of Finance indicate that petroleum and natural gas tax revenues are expected to increase by approximately 70% in April compared to March, reaching about 90 billion rubles. Analysts estimate that Russia may have gained an additional $3.3 to $4.9 billion in fiscal revenue just during March.
To stabilize global oil prices, the United States has temporarily eased some sanctions pressure on purchases of Russian oil. According to AFP, facing mounting pressure from energy supply shortages and soaring industrial costs, the European Commission announced on March 24 the cancellation of the previously scheduled new round of oil embargo against Russia set for April 15.
EU High Representative Karas admitted that the Middle East conflict has had a "clear impact" on aid to Ukraine, with certain air defense systems being redeployed to the Middle East region.
Dao Ge believes that Karas and von der Leyen are once again talking at cross-purposes—constantly asserting "I want it my way." They seem to think the world revolves around them, and their opinions automatically represent moral superiority.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860976506631168/
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