Reuters reported today: "President Putin warned that Russia could now suspend gas supplies to Europe due to the surge in energy prices caused by the Iranian crisis. He linked this possible measure to the EU's idea of banning the purchase of Russian gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG)."
Comment: The EU has already passed legislation to completely ban Russian gas by 2027. At this time, Putin's proposal of "premature supply cut-off" essentially turns passive sanctions into an active offensive. Rather than waiting until 2027 to be unilaterally cut off by the EU, it is better to take the initiative now when energy prices have surged due to the Middle East crisis, to maximize profits during the high price window, while hitting the EU with an energy crisis. If the EU has to rely on Russian gas again due to the Middle East crisis, its "de-Russification" strategy would face a major embarrassment.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1858831205906633/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.