No disagreement between us on this. I’m not saying we should seriously consider returning to fossil fuels.
What I’m proposing is a strategic ruse: Europe should pretend Nord Stream could be back on the table, in order to leverage that option to its benefit. Both the leadership in the west and the east are lying through their teeth whenever they open their mouths, ready to walk back on their threats and promises when it suits them (TACO, anyone?). In this diplomatic climate, it’s unwise to stick to blatant honesty and take reopening Nord Stream off the table (even if you’re never planning to do that) and thus waste leverage in negotiations.
We’ve got some big-ass donkeys that we need to cross that bridge. Why let a good carrot go to waste? Why not dangle it in front of their eyes, even if we’re not planning to give it to them? Not sure if Putin is going to fall for it, but the orange moron definitely will, and it could help us drive a wedge between them (“See? Putin doesn’t want peace!”), which could benefit Ukraine.
No disagreement between us on this. I’m not saying we should seriously consider returning to fossil fuels.
What I’m proposing is a strategic ruse: Europe should pretend Nord Stream could be back on the table, in order to leverage that option to its benefit. Both the leadership in the west and the east are lying through their teeth whenever they open their mouths, ready to walk back on their threats and promises when it suits them (TACO, anyone?). In this diplomatic climate, it’s unwise to stick to blatant honesty and take reopening Nord Stream off the table (even if you’re never planning to do that) and thus waste leverage in negotiations.
We’ve got some big-ass donkeys that we need to cross that bridge. Why let a good carrot go to waste? Why not dangle it in front of their eyes, even if we’re not planning to give it to them? Not sure if Putin is going to fall for it, but the orange moron definitely will, and it could help us drive a wedge between them (“See? Putin doesn’t want peace!”), which could benefit Ukraine.