European Union

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The BBC reports that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, during an interview, accused Germany and Hungary of paying “blood money” for Russian petroleum. Russia could earn $320 billion from energy exports in 2022, fueling Moscow’s war machine. Zelensky is perhaps making an analogy to blood diamonds, an issue Aryn Baker explained […]

European Union

Could Europe/ NATO become Israel-Palestine if Putin Occupies parts of Ukraine for the Long Haul?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) | – We have to begin asking the question of what will happen if Russia succeeds in implementing a long-term occupation of the Donbass region and of other Ukrainian territories down to the port of Odessa, making a land bridge to Crimea. Such a Russian occupation of land claimed by a […]

France

Whoever Wins France’s Election, its Muslims Fear Islamophobia has Become Endemic

Middle East Monitor

By Rayan Freschie | – ( Middle East Monitor ) – As the French election looms on the horizon, Muslims in France are less interested in who will become president, instead of turning their concerns to the systemic Islamophobia that envelops all candidates, underpinning the entire political system. The structural nature of anti-Muslim persecution in […]

European Union

Ukraine and NATO Expansion

Peter G. Prontzos

Vancouver (Special to Informed Comment) – To be absolutely clear, the attack on Ukraine was a clear violation of international law, and there is absolutely no excuse for this invasion. Putin is a war criminal for initiating this unjustifiable bloodshed. However, NATO in general and the United States in particular followed an unnecessary and dangerous […]

Climate Crisis

Electric Cars let German Consumers Save Huge on Gasoline, Cut Russian Oil – Greenpeace

Clean Energy Wire

By Edgar Meza | – ( Clean Energy Wire) – Electric vehicles can save up to 300 euros [$331] a month compared to cars with diesel and petrol engines, according to a cost analysis report by Greenpeace. Despite temporary tax cuts on fuel prices, new combustion engines are cost traps when considering high long-term fuel […]

Energy

No to Blackmail: Germany to be free from Russian oil, coal by end of 2022, Gas by 2024 – Econ Minister

Julian Wettengel

( Clean Energy Wire) – Germany is making considerable progress in weaning itself off fossil fuel imports from Russia and could become virtually independent of the country’s coal and oil by the end of this year, said economy and climate minister Robert Habeck in Berlin. Natural gas supply poses the biggest challenge and it will […]

Climate Crisis

Will war in Ukraine hasten the end of fossil fuels in the West?

The Conversation

By Jack Marley | – Four weeks have passed since Russian troops invaded Ukraine. To impede the onslaught of Vladimir Putin’s war machine, countries in the EU and elsewhere have announced measures to cut imports of fuel and energy from Russia, draining the coffers of the world’s largest exporter of gas and its third-largest supplier […]

Climate Crisis

With Russia in Ukraine, Climate Emergency is at Heart of German Security Strategy

Julian Wettengel

( Clean Energy Wire ) – The climate crisis and its effects on people’s lives around the world will be at the heart of the National Security Strategy being developed by the German government, said foreign minister Annalena Baerbock. The minister called climate change “the security policy question of our time” and said the “foundations […]

Climate Crisis

Will Europe Rush even faster to Electric Vehicles to escape dependence on Putin’s Oil?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Sean Goulding Carroll at Euractiv.com asks if Europe can defund the Russian war machine by turning to electric vehicles. It should be noted that in part because of the EU carbon tax, already 29% of new car purchases in Europe last December were EVs or plug-in hybrids, so consumers are […]