But the sad reality is that Germany is ashamed to do so, mainly from Poland, but amid growing pressure from other EU countries and harsh criticism from Kyiv as well. Nor does it go far enough. The next step must be to end Germany’s dependence on Moscow gas, followed by the complete liquidation of Putin’s friends by the German establishment, so that the country’s international credibility can be restored. These are the sacrifices that must now be made to help end Russia’s invasion and protect Western liberal authorities, especially in view of the reduced impact of existing sanctions. Russia’s central bank’s decision to cut its key interest rate from 17% to 14% is further evidence of the ineffectiveness of the West ‘s efforts to crush the country’ s economy. Berlin has pledged to wean itself off Russian gas imports by 2024, but the Kremlin’s share of German consumption has already fallen from 55% to 40% and the speed of the oil reversal suggests it could significantly intensify efforts to complete release from Russian hydrocarbons. With each passing day, Germany’s decision to continue buying Russian fossil fuels is becoming increasingly unsustainable. On the same day that Moscow cut off supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, Russian gas titan Gazprom boasted 2 trillion rubles (22 22 billion) in annual profits, much of it thanks to EU customers. The continent has spent a staggering 44 billion euros ($ 46 billion) on Russian oil and gas since the invasion began in late February, a number that shames the entire West, not just Germany.
