Russia is the largest exporters of gas to the European countries. The war has made it evident that now Russia will be ceasing its gas supplies to the unfriendly countries. Previously, Putin had said that he would only supply gas in exchange of rubles after the announcement of sanctions over Russia. The US and its allies have sanctioned Russia after the invasion of military forces in Ukraine. Russia is sidelined by the American sanctions and also has been suffering its devastating affects.
Gazprom, Russia’s state-controlled gas company, announced that it would be turning off the taps for supply of gas to Poland and Bulgaria. Polish and Bulgarian government has refused to pay in rubles for the exchange of gas as demanded by Putin. This decision was taken following the Western sanctions on Russia to cut off access to half of its foreign currency reserves.
The EU accused Gazprom of “yet another attempt by Russia to use gas as a instrument of blackmail”. This was claimed because 90 percent of Bulgaria’s gas and 45 per cent of Poland’s gas supplies comes from Russia. This has created a shortage in the countries and across the Europe as well.
Though this was done to safeguard Russia from further sanctions of the US and its allies. This was has become the proxy war for the West. And now they are backing Ukraine with all the heavy and strong arms and ammunition to fight the war. The war has entered its third month, but there is no sign of negotiation among the two countries. As George Orwell had said in his book ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ that, “war is peace”. Now this war has become peace for America and Ukraine has become its proxy.
