The Daily Star: The U.S. tightens the screws on Russian energy

Energy politics underlie the explosive Ukraine crisis, as Europeans weigh U.S. calls for tougher sanctions against the ability of Russia to disrupt gas supplies this winter.

The dilemma for European governments increased this week, as the Obama administration announced strong new penalties against the Russian energy and financial sectors. Europe’s initial response was tepid, in a sign that many of its governments fear Moscow’s energy leverage more than U.S. displeasure.

The Russians turned up the pressure valve, too. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev called the U.S. sanctions “evil” Thursday and warned: “We may go back to the 1980s in our relations with the states that are declaring these sanctions.”
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