Data analysed by the BBC show that Ukraine’s Western allies have paid Russia more for its hydrocarbons than they have given Ukraine in aid.
In the wake of the February 2022 invasion, Ukraine’s allies imposed sanctions on Russian hydrocarbons. The US and UK banned Russian oil and gas, while the EU banned Russian seaborne crude imports, but not gas.
Despite this, by 29 May, Russia had made more than €883bn ($973bn; £740bn) in revenue from fossil fuel exports since the start of the full-scale invasion, including €228bn from the sanctioning countries, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
The lion’s share of that amount, €209bn, came from EU member states.
Revenue is only one side of the coin. What was left after costs?
Then, consider how much less willing or able some countries would have been to support Ukraine financially, had they needed to subsidize for even more expensive energy in their local economy and/or support more unemployed and working poor. Think how susceptible people are to the waves of propaganda that the russian machine sends to nearly every corner of the world.
It doesn’t take a genius to realise that this is complicated.
It takes an idiot to think it’s simple, though.
they had time since 2014 to get off of Russian fossil fuels. no excuses
🤗