[LatteLazy]

That's great, but it worked fine for decades including under actual communists. And the EU has few other options. And their allies refuse to help. And it's those same allies that have upset Putin.

So maybe not entirely their fault even if it is their problem (I'm a Brit for full disclosure)

[emteycz]

That it worked fine for decades is no excuse. Europe should have been building nuclear reactors all day and night long instead of waiting until it inevitably stopped working - and/or allies stop helping. Maybe it's not as economical as renewables but at least it's actually capable to replace the gas.

[LatteLazy]

So Europe should have spent trillions building a massive nuclear capacity and switching to all electric just because? Presumably every other country or trade block that imports energy needs to do the same? Seems a bit extreme no?

[emteycz]

Not "just because" but "because relying on unstable allies and warlords is not good for the citizens in the long term".

Other powers seem to have other local options, so they don't need to build nuclear as much as Europe does.

[LatteLazy]

But that's the situation everyone is in isn't it? If the Saudis and Iran stop pumping oil then all developed economies will be in the shit. But I don't see any nation radically building vast nuclear facilities... The same goes for China and cheap consumer goods or Taiwan and semiconductors.

The only place that's even close to independent is North Korea...

[rad_gruchalski]

> If the Saudis and Iran stop pumping oil then all developed economies will be in the shit.

Oil is 70% of KSA export earnings. If they stop selling, they are also in shit. Iran is 5% of worldwide supply, biggest buyer is China.

[LatteLazy]

Saudi cut their pumps last year didn't they? After 40 odd years of OPEC prices they can afford to just pour money out like a fire hose for a long time...