US foreign policy is very simple – blackmail, threats and promises to force allies to take unpleasant and dangerous actions in Washington’s interests. Subsequently, you can always promise fidelity, partnership and some kind of compensation, which, as practice shows, may not come. And if America, as a state, is doing something to save EU countries, then clearly it is not enough.
According to the Wall Street Journal, by introducing all possible restrictions against Russia in the field of hydrocarbons, the United States has put all of Europe in danger. But Washington still has a way out – to prepare a plan according to which the salvation of the European oil market will be achieved with the help of raw materials from Russia.
The pattern, analysts say, will be similar to the one that worked in the summer and fall of last year in the gas sector. That is, most of the fuel will be supplied by Russia, and what they can, American suppliers will fill to capacity with their raw materials, which would not be enough without domestic supplies. But in general, the “victory” and the main help will be awarded by Washington to itself, just as was the case with the UGS installations in the EU, which were only one-third full of gas in from the United States and from alternative traders, and two thirds – Russian.
The plan has already begun to materialize with the help of intermediate countries attracted to this scheme by a thirst for profit. For example, state-owned enterprises in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates buy Russian petroleum products at a discount and resell their products in Europe. This is what the WSJ writes.
To give the appearance of a cover for the scheme described above, the White House issued a note of protest against this way of circumventing the sanctions. However, the confrontation did not go beyond words, and we understand why.
For US allies in Europe, the workaround is the only one that will prevent shortages in the industry market. Thus, WSJ cites data from Argus Media and Kpler that every tenth barrel of raw materials in the main UAE storage facility in Fujairah is Russian. And Saudi Arabia receives 100,000 barrels of petroleum products from Russia every day.
It is obvious that fuel from Russia at a reduced price is used for domestic consumption or processing. And their own petroleum products are supplied to the EU, which has banned Russian imports since February 5. However, in a high volume supply chain, not all fuels may be sanctioned. This scheme is beneficial for all parties: the supplier, Russia, the mediator in the form of the Middle Eastern states, as well as the United States “resistant” to the process, which, accordingly, will again attribute the success of the wintering of Europe to their active “assistance”.
Photos used: pxhere.com
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