China Frustrated as Putin Stands Firm in Energy Negotiations

10 comments

1. China is enabling Putin to be able to dictate conditions to the world. China should stand with the rest of the world.

2. Putin will do what China tells him.

3. I think. This is important. I would be wise to get China some inexpensive fuel quickly and see if they can be drawn away from Russia sources.

4. Maybe pipeline less interesting to Russia now as Ukraine is attacking Russian energy infrastructure

5. Look at China’s EV adoption and Solar installation rates. In 10 years from now China will be consuming far less natural gas and oil. Russia, being so reliant on oil and gas exports, has only a decade or so left until energy prices crash. They’re geographically in the worst spot for the future of oil and gas, since those industries are hoping for low HDI countries to prop them up in the future as high HDI countries move to EVs and renewables. And Russia is far away from Africa and South America. 

6. Putin still lives in a world in which he can make demands. He will wake up to the new realities.

7. >This deadlock raises concerns in China about the potential stalling of the project should neither side relent.

   I think this is the key phrase from the article. I think Putin is being intentionally unreasonable because he wants the project delayed. Putin wants the project delayed because Russia does not have any spare resources to continue the project. They lack the money, the workers, the construction materials, and definitely the technology needed to continue. Far better the be seen as a hard negotiator than too week to make a deal at all.

8. This has nothing to do with Ukraine or the war. It’s about Russia and China

9. This has always been the Putin regime modus operandi: to be intransigent until the last possible second, and then cheat on the deal that is signed.

   But it could also indicate that Putin thinks he is now in a more powerful negotiating position. He will drag out negotiations until he can declare victory over Donbas and Crimea. He would then control other resources that China wants from Donbas: rare earth minerals and a steady grain supply.

10. This pipeline could take years to finish. Russia is putting all its funds into the war, so I can see why Russia would not be in a super rush and simply wants to make it look like they have a strong hand while they drag it out.