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Comment by codedokode | Hacker News Reader

People in EU buy Russian natural gas and see no problem with it. What are you talking about.

"People in EU" are Hungary and Slovakia for pipeline gas and crude oil. Belgium, France and Netherlands for LNG. Most see a huge problem with it and pledge to phase it out by 2027.

Source: https://energyandcleanair.org/june-2025-monthly-analysis-of-...

So EU nationals can’t even phase out their fully voluntary usage of gas for 5+ years because it would cost a bit more despite financing Ukrainian deaths, but conscripted soldiers are blameworthy because they didn’t abandon their home and everything they know to become a fugitive of their state rather than get conscripted?

To be fair, conscripted people did not take part in a war. The ones who take part are those involuntarily mobilized in 2022, well paid volunteers and convicts who get a pardon after serving for a certain time.

> cost a bit more

It's not (only) a matter of cost, but availability. People need fuel to heat their houses. In order to fully replace Russian gas, other facilities (like LNG container terminals) need to be built. That has been done and is being done, but is complex and not instant.

Should it have been done before February 2022? Yeah, probably.

This is whataboutism. They're both bad.

Good point, I’ll accept that conscripts are similarly blameworthy as gas consumers in Europe

> pledge to phase it out by 2027

When the war hopefully will be over, sanction lifted and there will be no problem with trading with Russia anyway.

There are also countries which buy Russian resources indirectly, via Turkiye and other countries.

I see a huge problem that the annexation of crimea started in 2014, escalated in 2022 to a full war and invasion, and eu countries can’t be bothered to move off Russian gas before 2027.

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