[bamboozled]

From your own Article:

What are European countries doing to reduce reliance on Russian energy?

The European Union says it has significantly slashed Russian energy exports since the invasion.

The share of Russian gas in EU imports dropped from 45% in 2021 to 18% by June 2024, meaning US exports of gas to the EU has significantly increased.

More recent packages of sanctions have aimed to prevent the Kremlin from circumventing those sanctions.

CREA says tighter sanctions that undercut Russian countermeasures can slash Kremlin revenues by 20% annually, significantly stifling its capacity to fund its war in Ukraine.

[rdtsc]

> The share of Russian gas in EU imports dropped from 45% in 2021 to 18% by June 2024, meaning US exports of gas to the EU has significantly increased.

Exactly. Isn't it wild? They paid €205 billion to the Russians since the start of the war. Not only that, as you found out, they were paying a lot more in the past! It's like had never noticed he captured Crimea from their neighbor. Not only that US had asked the strengthen their military, spend more on defense, and stop buying Putin's gas and they turned around and did exactly the opposite.

[bamboozled]

Do you think you Europe can just turn off gas or something ? Like there would be no logistics challenges to replace the supply? Why did Russia continue to supply gas? It wanted the money...

Clearly the European strategy was the one that you probably praise Trump for, trying not to isolate Putin and Russia by buying their gas and using appeasement. They had agreements with Russia that were broken and and have to pivot away from them. Russia was benefiting massively and still broke their promises and broke trust, for what?

So look where appeasement got Europe and Ukraine and it look where it will get Trump and the USA.

Personally, you're argument and history supports the idea that Trump is making a massive mistake with it's new "strategy". Russia only understands force.

[rdtsc]

> Why did Russia continue to supply gas?

Cause it makes them money. Artillery shells cost money.

> Clearly the European strategy was the one that you probably praise Trump for, trying not to isolate Putin and Russia by buying their gas and using appeasement.

I am not praising Trump, sound like your strategy of appeasement of an enemy is to hand them hundreds of billions of euros.

> Russia was benefiting massively and still broke their promises and broke trust, for what?

Exactly. They were fools and now are acting confused Putin took advantage of them, right after they saw him capture Crimea. Moreover, they criticized Americans for telling them not fund a war criminal.

> Personally, you're argument and history supports the idea that Trump is making a massive mistake with it's new "strategy". Russia only understands force.

They only understand force, I agree. I am not sure why you suggest otherwise?