Opinion: Russia has nothing to do with the current energy crisis in Europe

In the September 30, 2022 issue of The Citizen I came across the interview of the Head of the EU Delegation to Tanzania, Mr Manfredo Fanti, and feel that readers deserve to be provided with a more correct picture of the origin of the energy crisis the EU is currently facing as well as true reasons the conflict in Ukraine has not been settled earlier. I don’t touch upon hypocrisy of the EU position regarding the EACOP issue here which is obvious.

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The energy crisis in Europe did not begin with the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine; it actually started much earlier, a year before or even earlier. As strange as it may seem, it started with the green agenda. The green agenda is definitely important, and we need to take climate action and avoid reaching the point of no return when climate change becomes irreversible. Of course, no one wants this to happen, but everything must be done carefully and gradually. But to pursue momentary political considerations, the EU countries chose to completely close down the hydrocarbon energy programs.

Banks stopped extending loans, local authorities have stopped allocating land plots for future development, and implementation of plans for energy infrastructure construction was stopped as well, with huge cuts in investment in conventional energy.

Then the EU has decided to make the situation even worse by cutting itself from Russian gas and oil which we’re ready to continue providing like we were doing for decades. OK, it’s their choice. But don’t try to blame Russia for not being able to take hot shower.

So now the EU is turning back from the green agenda to good old “dirty energy” looking for sources of coal in Africa. At least there’s one obvious beneficiary from this situation – the coal mining industry of Tanzania!

Now on who is to blame for prolonging the conflict in Ukraine; Ritual mentioning of sufferings of the Ukrainians by the EU as usual omits the years of bombing and shelling by the Kiev regime of their own citizens in the Eastern regions of Ukraine, who finally decided not to be a part of the country whose leaders want them to just disappear and definitely can’t be regarded as representing their interests.

We also hope that “peace will prevail very soon”. In fact, Russia and Ukraine were about to agree on the terms of a peace agreement already in March – six months ago! But the West didn’t let Kiev make peace with Moscow preferring to encourage the fighting till the last Ukrainian standing by pumping Ukraine with all sorts of weapons. In fact, they’ve been taking on themselves command and coordination of the Ukrainian army including nationalist and Neo-Nazi armed groups.

The Russian special military operation is proceeding as planned and all its goals will be reached anyway. It’s time for the Kiev regime, but first of all, for the Ukrainian people to understand that they are fighting and dying for some others’ selfish interests.