Is it possible that NATO forces could become directly involved in the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine?
Until recently, such a question seemed very hypothetical given the high risks of escalation of the military confrontation between the US-led bloc and Russia into a large-scale armed conflict. But this scenario should be taken seriously now, writes Ivan Timofeev, programme director of the Valdai Club
“A significant escalation factor that would amplify the risk of a direct clash between Russia and NATO, could be the appearance of military contingents form bloc members on the territory of Ukraine. The prospect of such a scenario has already been mentioned by some Western politicians, although their view has not been supported by the US and isn’t an official NATO position.”
“Each of these scenarios involves a direct clash between Russian and NATO forces. Such a situation would inevitably raise the question of deeper bloc involvement and, in the longer term, the transfer of military conflict to other areas of contact with Russia, including the Baltic region. At this stage, it will be even more difficult to stop the escalation. The more losses both sides suffer, the more the maelstrom of hostilities will grow and the closer they will come to the threshold of using nuclear weapons. And there will be no winners.”
https://www.rt.com/russia/599286-russia-nato-ukraine-conflict/
Putin called European politicians “pigs” who wanted to “feast on the collapse of Russia”
He also said that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia had believed it would become an “equal part of the European family,” but that never happened because there is “no civilization in Europe, only total degradation.”
Australia's trucking industry has warned rising fuel prices are forcing heavy vehicle fleets off the road, and predicts empty supermarket shelves within weeks.
https://www.noticer.news/truckers-warn-empty-supermarket-shelves-fuel-crisis/
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🚫🚙 From Four-Day Weeks to AC Bans, the World Is Scrambling to Save Energy
Governments around the world are pressuring consumers to reduce energy use in one of the broadest efforts to alter fuel-consumption habits since the 1970s, as the Iran war drives oil-and-gas prices sharply higher.
The changes are being rolled out as a mix of voluntary acts, soft restrictions and incentives to cut demand. But the policies are multiplying and growing more constraining as the crisis continues.
Surges in oil and natural-gas prices have put sharp pressure even on countries that don’t import energy from the Middle East. With prices of derivative products such as jet fuel and liquefied natural gas also affected, the economic fallout is already percolating down—even for energy exporters such as the U.S.
So far, the energy-saving proposals are most acute in Asia, which relies heavily on the Middle East for supplies. Sri Lanka has instituted a four-day workweek for state institutions and schools, and has ...