Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), issued a warning to his fellow Europeans by stating that the continent will be put through a series of trials as it backs Ukraine to help deal with the energy crisis.
Recently, Russia cut off quite a few different natural gas flows going through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, highlighting supposed mechanical issues as the aggressive country continues its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While many of the top ministers throughout the European Union have brought forth policies such as a price cap regarding Russian oil and a solidarity contribution from many fossil fuel companies, Stoltenberg also encouraged those with him that supporting Ukraine is entirely worthwhile, as stated in a recent opinion piece hosted by the Financial Times.
“Our unity and solidarity will be seriously tested, as families and businesses feel the crunch of soaring energy prices and costs of living caused by Russia’s brutal invasion,” expressed Stoltenberg. “We face a difficult six months, with the threat of energy cuts, disruptions and perhaps even civil unrest. But we must stay the course and stand up to tyranny — for Ukraine’s sake and for ours.”
Countries throughout eastern Europe, such as Latvia, Poland, and Estonia, have given substantial aid to Ukraine which equated to between 0.5% and 1% of their gross domestic product (GDP), as reported in a data set from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Many other countries, such as Great Britain, the United States, and Canada, have sent over less than 0.25% of their total economic output, while the nation of Germany, which holds the title of the largest economy in Europe, has handed over a measly 0.08%.
“We are preparing more than a dozen new projects to help Ukraine face the winter,” stated Stoltenberg. “We see the decisive difference our support is making on the battlefield every day. The Ukrainian army has proved its ability to resist Russian aggression, strike back deep behind enemy lines and impose significant costs on the invading forces.”
The United States has issued aid to the tune of over $10 billion in military assistance as of this past August. As stated in one report, almost 30% of the aid has not yet arrived to the front lines has various factions within the country of Ukraine have waylaid it as a form of political leverage.
When speaking about the energy crisis that is compelling multiple European nations to create regulations regarding appliance and thermostat use, Stoltenberg claimed that the economic calamity will assist Europe in their need to “break free of Russia’s energy blackmail for good.”
“We do pay a price for our support to Ukraine. But the price we pay is counted in dollars, euros and pounds, while Ukrainians are paying with their lives,” he commented. “And all of us will pay a much higher price if Russia and other authoritarian regimes believe they can invade their neighbours and trample on international law with impunity.”
Quite a few of the member nations of the European Union, which stands beside its official policy of becoming “a climate-neutral society” by as soon as 2050, stand to heavily regulate all fossil fuel production despite their steps to gradually close off all nuclear plants. To go along with the cutting off of Russian natural gas shipments — which, as stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, will go on as long as the fulfilling of such orders stands in contrast with the country’s interests — low hydropower capacity stemming from extended drought conditions has impacted the over the electric grid of the continent, as explained via a recent speech given last week by Ursula con dew Leyen, the European Commission President.
