The energy stand-off between Russia and Europe is reaching high noon. The Kremlin last week shut down indefinitely its main westwards gas pipeline, Nord Stream 1, cutting total Russian gas flows to a fraction of prewar levels and sending prices surging. Vladimir Putin’s calculation is that European countries will prove less able to bear soaring winter energy bills and possible shortages than Russia can withstand western sanctions — and that their unity and resolve will shatter before the spring brings renewed military offensives in Ukraine. With Kyiv’s forces starting to make breakthroughs, the coming energy battle is one that democratic Europe cannot lose.
俄羅斯和歐洲之間的能源對(duì)峙達(dá)到頂點(diǎn)。上周，克里姆林宮無限期關(guān)閉了向西輸氣的主要天然氣管道北溪1號(hào)(Nord Stream 1)，使俄羅斯天然氣總流量降至戰(zhàn)前水平的一小部分，并導(dǎo)致價(jià)格飆升。弗拉基米爾?普京(Vladimir Putin)的盤算是，事實(shí)將證明，歐洲國家承受冬季能源賬單飆升和可能出現(xiàn)的能源短缺的能力，將低于俄羅斯承受西方制裁的能力——而且在明年春季烏克蘭出現(xiàn)新的軍事攻勢(shì)之前，歐洲國家的團(tuán)結(jié)和決心將瓦解。隨著基輔方面的軍隊(duì)開始取得突破，即將到來的能源之戰(zhàn)是民主的歐洲不能輸?shù)摹?/p>