Moscow
Russia cut off all oil supplies to Europe this week in a tussle with Belarus over prices. Belarus, a former Soviet republic, paid submarket prices for Russian natural gas until Jan. 1, when Russia doubled the charge and added an export duty on oil. Belarus hit back by demanding a tax on Russian oil bound for Europe that crosses Belarus through the Druzhba, or Friendship, pipeline; Russia has now turned off that tap. Germany and Poland, which depend on Russian oil, said such a tactic was “not acceptable.” But Russian President Vladimir Putin refused to back down, saying that even with the price hike, his country would lose more than $3 billion on its energy trade with Belarus.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Critics' choice: Reimagined Mexican-American fareFeature A shape-shifting dining experience, an evolving 50-year-old restaurant, and Jalisco-style recipes
-
Here We Are: Stephen Sondheim's 'utterly absorbing' final musicalThe Week Recommends The musical theatre legend's last work is 'witty, wry and suddenly wise'
-
The Trial: 'sharp' legal drama with a 'clever' scriptThe Week Recommends Channel 5's one-off show imagines a near future where parents face trial for their children's crimes
