We are awash in news reports that the Europeans are poised to follow the US in banning all Russian Energy imports.
Let me repeat: the Europeans are reportedly getting ready to ban imports from their largest supplier of crude oil, natural gas, and refined fuel products.
A decision is unlikely this week, and implementation will take longer still (the UK’s year-long tapered cut off if a potential model), but the decision is largely inevitable. Even if the Europeans wanted to continue importing Russian energy, supplies are likely to become unreliable at best. Better for the Europeans to start planning for that future now.
In additional bad news for Russia, sending crude elsewhere like China is a non-starter. Outside of cost and insurance and potential sanctions concerns, a lack of reliable export infrastructure will certainly impede exports. And that’s even before we get to the fact that foreign tech and investment is headed out the door in Russia. A couple of weeks after supermajors like ExxonMobil and Shell announced that they were leaving Russia, the oil services companies – Halliburton, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes – are exiting as well. Simply put: Russia can’t maintain its current level of output on its own. And the highly complex projects that make up so much of Moscow’s current oil and gas production really can’t be sustained by anyone else.
Here at Zeihan On Geopolitics we select a single charity to sponsor. We have two criteria:
First, we look across the world and use our skill sets to identify where the needs are most acute. Second, we look for an institution with preexisting networks for both materials gathering and aid distribution. That way we know every cent of our donation is not simply going directly to where help is needed most, but our donations serve as a force multiplier for a system already in existence. Then we give what we can.
Today, our chosen charity is a group called Medshare, which provides emergency medical services to communities in need, with a very heavy emphasis on locations facing acute crises. Medshare operates right in the thick of it. Until future notice, every cent we earn from every book we sell in every format through every retailer is going to Medshare’s Ukraine fund.
And then there’s you.
Our newsletters and videologues are not only free, they will always be free. We also will never share your contact information with anyone. All we ask is that if you find one of our releases in any way useful, that you make a donation to Medshare. Over one third of Ukraine’s pre-war population has either been forced from their homes, kidnapped and shipped to Russia, or is trying to survive in occupied lands. This is our way to help who we can. Please, join us.
