Unusually Warm Weather in Europe Spoils Putin’s Winter Plan

Russian president Vladimir Putin is not having a great winter season.  The war he initiated in Ukraine is still raging, and he managed to gather most of his enemies, relatively speaking of course, into one camp against him.  Let’s highlight the Russian gas that Putin was hoping to weaponize against Europe this winter.  Moscow was hoping to bring Europe to it’s knees when making decisions this past summer.  A cold winter could perhaps have altered European resolve in bankrolling Ukrainian forces against the Russian military.  However with record high temperatures sweeping across Europe and underground gas storage facilities standing at 83%, it’s hard work for Putin to threaten the Europeans right now by turning off the taps. Prices are currently at it’s lowest point during the war, and it is at pre war levels to add insult to Russian injury trading at 65 Euros per megawatt hour.  The last time gas prices fell below 70 Euros was on the 16th of February last year, just 8 days before the start of the war.  Spain’s citizens were seen sunbathing last week, while the Czech Republic saw temperatures soar to the 19 degree mark. The European Union is keen to reduce demand on Russian gas and balmy weather suits them just fine.  Washington, who is Ukraine’s biggest backer is also pleased as low demand translates into more bite Western sanctions have on the Russian economy and it’s ability to finance it’s war in Ukrainia.