OPINION: Cutting off Russia’s war machine could save lives now, while quickly weaning itself off fossil fuels would save lives later.
PRINCETON, N.J. —Since the early 2000s, European leaders and intellectuals have pushed the idea that the European project is not merely about economic opportunities. At its core, they claim, is morality and the promotion of shared values, with the implication that Europe’s soft power is more effective than the hard power of the United States.
“ Russia’s war in Ukraine has given Europeans a chance to show that their oft-stated commitment to morality and shared values is more than lofty rhetoric. The single most effective way to force the Kremlin to reverse course is to absorb the costs of cutting off the Russian war machine. ” But this would come with costs, requiring expensive measures to help Europe wean itself from a longstanding source of energy.
Finland, Latvia, and Bulgaria are more dependent than Germany on Russian gas, and Italy is not far behind. While Poland is highly dependent on Russian gas, its government has courageously called for a boycott. Russia’s invasion of its neighbor has brought Poland back to the realization that the European project—an idea that Poland’s current leaders have spent years scoffing at—is worth defending.
Fortunately, morality and realpolitik do not always conflict, and there is a strong pragmatic argument for freezing imports of Russian oil and gas now, rather than relying on seemingly less painful half-measures. A complete, sudden blockade would be more likely to force a reconsideration of the war within Russia.
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