European politicians have 7 more bones in their skulls. Their brains still function mechanically.

SJ-Phil (unregistered) wrote in #20Russia wanted to join the WTO in order to boost their revenues and GDP.  Now, Russia can't play the games they're used to playing with the Ukaraine and Eastern European countries (former Soviet block States) and their just going to have to learn how to play fair....lest their be significant negative results from continued violations of the WTO rules.     Actually, the EU is trying to apply EU rules, not WTO rules, against Gazprom.  Russia just joined the WTO and is still within the grace period for getting her practices in line with the rest of the members.  So the EU has little to no leverage in a WTO court.  What they are trying to do instead is "make up" some rules to apply to Gazprom in contradiction to established contracts.  There must be a clause in the contracts to allow a re-negotiated price, but evidently it is not liberal enough for EU leaders, who are trying to "pressure Russia" in order to quiet their unruly citizens.     But I agree with you that Russia has some big changes to go through to meet WTO rules.  That is a completely new chapter to discuss.

JJ (unregistered) wrote in #4   Just torn off the gas for a month then the EU will sing a different tune. Don't let me do a "Shakedown" on Russia, that'swhat they're trying to pull.  Like the USA they have to tryto get things by stealing it, heck Israel got their wholecountry by stealing it, teach them a lesson Russia, theRussian Bear will not be taken for a ride by a bunch ofEU Creampuffs.EXACTLY.  tiny , resource-poor continent Europe, and "Gigantic" Genocidal, Racist, Imperial USA are basically what it turns around "from"...... a "group" of "cultures" (without ignoring many wonderful , creative, artistic aspects -- but then every culture has that too) -- whose "supremacy" brought on or maintained by being "the most prosperous" is basically also based on global adventurism -- in order to steal resources from other regions............. destruction of cultures, economies, environments, peoples............. ..are just "natural consequences" of what amounts to LAND and RESOURCE GRABBING to ENRICH the "west" at the expense of all others.  "free market" is just their TOOL to expedite that "supremacy" project, after IMPOSING, if necessary by wars , the "rules of economics" .  RUSSIA -- as I have long always been convinced of -- was always the "GRAND TROPHY" for resources, land, and control over the world's largest landmass: EURASIA.  to the "masters of the universe" of the west -- the entire globe's population outside of the "western" paradigm exists solely to SERVICE the "ruling civilization" -- the "west" -- and if the peoples of the regions whose natural treasures the west wants wish to "develop" their nations and regions -- those peoples -- whether Asian, African, South American Natives everywhere -- must ACCEPT the "rules" imposed by the West -- which amount to one thing:  "ALL PEOPLES and THEIR REGIONS and RESOURCES are SERVANTS to the WEST".