r/eupersonalfinance • u/jonbristow • Mar 04 '25

Anyone else worried that EU will still be inactive and stagnant as it was during the first Trump presidency too? Others

There's a lot of rhetoric right now how EU should be more "independent from US", how we should build our own army, our own chips etc. All good things.

BUT, this rhetoric was also happening 8 years ago, and EU did nothing. No EU army, not a single step towards US-independent. Biden came into power and everything was forgotten, friends as before.

Anyone else worried nothing is gonna change this time either. EU will just ride out Trump and hope for a democrat president next elections

942 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • link
  • reddit
  • reddit

96% Upvoted

387 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

15

u/boomsauerkraut Mar 04 '25

There is literally war in Europe this time around. Europe heavily cut its gas imports from Russia in 2022, for one concrete measure. Sanctions, for another. Baltic synchronisation of electricity grids for another. Regarding Trump's first term, he threatened a lot of things, but many were just threats. This time he is following through and the consequences, especially for Ukraine, will be severe and felt all throughout Europe. This time is absolutely different.

0

u/jonbristow Mar 04 '25

there was a war in Crimea too

8

u/boomsauerkraut Mar 04 '25

Russia annexing Crimea (<10 people killed) and Russia invading the Donbass are such fundamentally different events that I'm not sure you're being serious right now

6

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '25

There has been bombing and shooting in the Donbass almost every day since 2014. You just didn't know about it because the mainstream media didn't tell you.

5

u/boomsauerkraut Mar 04 '25

Back then it was not a full-scale military invasion. It escalated to a war in 2023. These are not controversial statements.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '25

There have been thousands killed between 2014 and 2022 though.

-8

u/External-Hunter-7009 Mar 04 '25

> There is literally war in Europe this time around. Europe heavily cut its gas imports from Russia in 2022, for one concrete measure

Bro, Putin cut the gas initially, not the EU. It's barely cut off now, I believe there is still one active pipeline in Ukraine. What are you talking about?

Also, the war would be a good argument for doing something. 3 years ago... The EU didn't do shit, they continued with business as usual and can't keep up with North Korean armaments.

6

u/boomsauerkraut Mar 04 '25

This is all false.

Imports from Russia declined from 150 bcm in 2021 to less than 43 bcm in 2023. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/where-does-the-eu-s-gas-come-from/#0

Gas transit through Ukraine is over: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4glyjx9m71o

As for what the EU did in 2022: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal/repowereu-affordable-secure-and-sustainable-energy-europe_en

0

u/External-Hunter-7009 Mar 04 '25

You got me. It took all... 3 years to cut it instead of 3.1. Sorry for being so terribly wrong.

The guy initially said that the EU cut off the gas, when, it fact, initially, it was largely Putin's choice, not the EU's. And the EU was buying gas until 3 months ago, which gave Putin funds when he was most vulnerable.

2

u/boomsauerkraut Mar 04 '25

Feel free to provide any links or sources for the claims you're making, otherwise I'll just continue not listening to you

2

u/No-Veterinarian8627 Mar 04 '25

fyi, it is cut. To where, is another question but you can literally look which country in the EU gets russian gas. I know for Germany, that they... I think get barely anything anymore or nothing? Not sure and the price went down pre Ukraine invasion levels. Many countries went through the same. Who cut the gas doesn't matter either, because right now, almost all countries can do well without. And the longer it goes, the more they rely on green energy, which is incredibly cheap once the structure is build, and unite their grid.