Read here the previous part about the EU collapse and Ukrainian refugees in Europe.
Almost immediately after the adoption of each package of sanctions against Russia, Telegram channels (namely Kartel and others) write that "the EU's ability to extend its sanctions policy against Russia has been exhausted, and this is the last of them". In addition, Media Killer emphasizes that "the EU cannot tighten its sanctions against Russia because the EU has already put all of its cards on the table shortly after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war and is now limited in its actions."
Nevertheless, the EU has approved 13 packages of sanctions aimed at weakening Russia's ability to finance its war in Ukraine and is preparing to adopt a 14th package. According to the European Commission, EU sanctions exhausted Russia's economy, causing a drop in GDP, which peaked at 2.1% in 2022. Moreover, EU sanctions significantly impacted Russia's trade, limiting its ability to export.
Even before the war, the Kremlin used the EU's energy reliance on Russia as a tool of pressure, and after it attacked Ukraine, these manipulations gained new traction. When only the EU began to discuss reducing its consumption of Russia's energy sources, numerous pro-Russian channels
, including Splietniza, wrote about "the EU's inability and unwillingness to refuse Russia's gas and oil".
Furthermore, Nabludatel writes that "Europeans are opposed to assisting Ukraine because of the energy crisis in Europe caused by Russia's lack of energy resources."
Despite Russia's assurances that this would never happen, the EU refused Russia's oil
. By doing so, Russia's oil revenues fell by more than 40% in February 2023.
Furthermore, the EU's reliance on Russian gas fell to 15% in 2023, from 45% in 2021. The diversification of energy suppliers and the decreasing cooperation with energy are just a matter of time.
The article was originally published on the Kremlin's Voice platform.
