Europe is preparing for Russian gas to be cut off this winter
An EU-wide plan is needed to cope
“Social peace in Germany is being challenged,” declared Robert Habeck, Germany’s vice-chancellor, on July 7th. The villain: natural-gas prices. Russia is throttling Europe’s supplies in revenge for its support for Ukraine. In Germany, which relies on Russia for around one-third of its gas imports, energy bills are expected to soar. Gas prices will cause firms huge losses; ultimately, Mr Habeck fears, they could trigger a financial meltdown. The ultimate threat—a complete Russian cut-off—looks ever more plausible.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Winter is coming”
Europe July 16th 2022
- Europe is preparing for Russian gas to be cut off this winter
- The war is forcing Ukraine’s energy planners to be creative
- Ukraine’s new rockets are wreaking havoc on Russia’s army
- Turkey grapples with triple-digit inflation
- How many cows are too many, asks the Dutch government?
- Down with long school summer breaks
From the July 16th 2022 edition
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