World stands firm against Putin

Vladimir Putin’s latest warmongering threat of “lighting quick” retaliatory strikes against the West underlines the importance of the new alliance of 40 nations, including Australia, formed on Tuesday to ensure Ukraine gets the weapons and other resources it needs to defeat the Russian tyrant. So does his aggressive action on Wednesday in cutting off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria after they rejected his outrageous blackmail in demanding they pay in Russian roubles. Far from being cowed by his long-anticipated extortion racket, both countries have moved swiftly to get supplies elsewhere. So have other European nations, such as Italy.

Significantly, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has spoken optimistically of Europe’s reliance on Russia coming to an end. That potentially could mean new opportunities for Australia, as the world’s biggest liquefied natural gas exporter, and for the US if ever the Biden administration can be persuaded to ramp up US oil and gas production and exports to Europe.

Mr Putin has continued to up the stakes, declaring: “We have all the tools (to retaliate against unfriendly nations), the kind of tools that no one else can boast of.” This is doubtless intended to be another reference to Russia’s formidable stockpile of nuclear weapons. Given his unprovoked and criminal onslaught against the Ukrainian people, it obviously would be unwise to overlook his malevolence. But even Mr Putin should not ignore the grim reality (for him) that just nine weeks into the war what he now has ranged against him is not just Ukraine but 40 nations united in their determination to help Kyiv with whatever it needs to defeat him. That was what emerged strongly from the historic gathering at the US Ramstein air base in Germany. It is imperative all 40 lose no time in providing the means for Ukraine to double down on the remarkable successes it already has achieved in the conflict. Even Germany, against all expectations, committed to supply tanks and other heavy weapons. And British representatives also made clear their determination to deliver tanks and warplanes. That is another dramatic shift from what until now has been NATO’s overall commitment to concentrate on mainly light weaponry.

Following the Ramstein gathering there are reports, too, of new initiatives to help Kyiv with vital cyber defences. Even something that has been regarded with understandable reluctance, imposing a NATO no-fly zone over Ukraine, is said to be on the table again despite apprehensions it could lead to a direct NATO conflict with Russia. That is the response Mr Putin has brought on himself by his mindless assault on a sovereign nation and threats to energy security. Europe may not be able to replace the 40 per cent or so of its gas it imports from Russia overnight. But Mr Putin’s blackmail threats have already spurred it to reduce its dependence on Russian fuel. Just as it has opened its doors wide to refugees from Ukraine, Poland has led the way in preparing to meet the challenge, building a large LNG import terminal in the Baltic Sea.

Next week, Poland plans to open a pipeline linked to Lithuania’s LNG terminal. Another pipeline delivering gas from Norway to Poland will be completed soon. So much for the Russian despot’s thuggery. Bulgaria, which gets 90 per cent of its gas from Russia, is getting help from Turkey and Greece to circumvent the Russian extortion. Even Germany has reduced dramatically its reliance on Russian gas. Last year, it cut its Russian gas imports from 55 per cent to 35 per cent. As Ms von der Leyen said on Wednesday: “Our response (to Mr Putin’s blackmail) is immediate, united and co-ordinated. The era of (reliance) on Russian fossil fuels in Europe will come to an end.”

That should worry Mr Putin. Fuel sales go a long way towards funding his war machine by providing nearly half of Russia’s budget. The Ramstein alliance shows just how badly he has underestimated global outrage over his assault on the principles of the civilised international order on which the world depends.