Most European countries stopped importing Russian fossil fuels about a year after the full scale invasion. That reduced European spending on Russian fossil fuels by about 90%. Right now the big buyers are mainly Hungary and Slovakia as well as some LNG contracts, which have not been banned, because Hungary and Slovakia block those sanctions. Also pipeline oil remains an issue, but it seems like most European countries have just given Ukraine the go ahead to blow up the pipelines going towards Hungary. Well as long as the explosions happen in Russia.

[–] Tuuktuuk@piefed.ee 10 points 4 months ago (1 children)

European countries have just given Ukraine the go ahead to blow up the pipelines going towards Hungary. Well as long as the explosions happen in Russia.

The thing is, Ukraine is contractually obliged to the western countries to deliver any oil the Russia sends through the transit pipes. It's also responsible for making sure the pipes within Ukraine's territory remain in good condition.

But, it's not in any way responsible for the Russian pipe network, only for its own. It's the Russia's responsibility to keep its oil pipe network in good shape, and it's the Russia's and only the Russia's problem if the pipes within its get damaged in some war. Ukraine has all the right to bomb the shit out of those pipes in the Russia, because Ukraine has never signed any contract with any EU countries that says otherwise. And if the pipes don't work in the Russia, then the Russia is breach of its contractual obligations with the EU countries and must pay compensation, even if the pipes were blown by Ukraine.

Ukraine is not allowed to do any harm to the pipes in its own territory but it is allowed to do harm to the same pipes on territories outside Ukraine.
That system with these contracts is absolute intellectual madness.

[–] MrMakabar@slrpnk.net 1 points 4 months ago

It is also in the interest of Ukraine. There are oil reserves in the parts of Ukraine currently occupied by Russia. Those pipelines are a great option to sell that oil to Hungary and so on.