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ElleRisalo t1_j76ibs1 wrote

How is Putin blackmailing Europe?

Nord 2 was a joint project between Germany and Russia, that seems all but shutdown at this point ended by Germany due to US pressure. (This wind down of N2 started prior to Ukraine War)

Ukraine War caused numerous European Nations to abandon Russian Exports and instead pivot to Norway (as they should and really should have long ago, but lack of infrastructure made it tough)

Usually when someone is "blackmailing" another they have some leverage, Putin has none.

If anything Europe is blackmailing Putin into ending his war in Ukraine by refusing to accept Russian Oil/Gas, and a vague promise that trade could resume when the war is ended, but after pivoting to Norway, and accelerating renewable growth....will they if he does end the war?

That's blackmail.

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phrxmd t1_j76kg4v wrote

> How is Putin blackmailing Europe?

By unilaterally reducing, then stopping gas supplies through the existing pipelines between July and September, paired with statements by Russian political figures to the end of "winter is coming".

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ElleRisalo t1_j76m6a5 wrote

And they went to Norway instead.

As I said Putin has no leverage. So how is it blackmail?

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phrxmd t1_j76n7q5 wrote

> As I said Putin has no leverage. So how is it blackmail?

When you don't have leverage, but you think you do, it's still blackmail.

Most of the autumn and winter the messaging from Russia has been that Europeans will soon freeze to death.

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ElleRisalo t1_j77s7op wrote

That's not how blackmail works.....

That is called a threat.

And Europe said ok we will just buy from Norway instead...and they did. If you don't have leverage, you can't extort anyone.

If you can't extort, you can't blackmail.

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