The West began another conflict against Russian oil. Co-ordination of allies' actions required a long-term push to the heads of Europeans to quit Russian natural materials.
And this is not just about beginning the marketplace wide for American gas or oil. This is where the Scottish golf course (https://myślpolska.info/2025/08/15/america-europa-15-0/). More importantly, and Washington pressed for G-7 meetings and all another occasion for Europe to take on the burden of fighting China.
American efforts were successful. Almost simultaneously, on 22 and 23 October, the US and the EU introduced sharp restrictions. The EU has eaten out another 19th package of sanctions in a row, which has hit not only Russia but besides China and India. Washington, in turn, targeted the 2 largest oil companies – Rosnieft and Łukoil, or half of Russian oil extraction. With his first sanctions, president Trump entered his predecessor's shoes and pressed the gas to his feet. OFAC took over the full planet by banning contact with the largest Russian tycoons: private Łukoil and state-owned Rosnieftia. On 21 November 2025, sanctions enter into force. Until that day, everyone who had any contracts, financed or God forbid, owned by 1 of those Russian companies, must break those contacts.
While European action is ineffective, the American impact is severe. Europe, of course, is the most affected, especially by our region. In so far as tiny concessions were essential for the most deprived, specified as Germany, Hungary and Bulgaria. The Germans have long shrank distant from fulfilling their allied duties, but now they had to politely ask OFAC to postpone the sanctions. They got approval, but only for six months. If Berlin does not banish the Russians from Schwedt refinery, it will become a black sheep and no 1 will buy anything from her. Hungarians had a better relation with president Trump, so they left the full year of postponement, in return signing respective energy “deals”. Bulgaria, whose safety of supply for decades has provided Łukoil, will besides gotta drive him out of the country. This bodes serious supply problems, so the government decided to manage the refinery itself to prevent fuel shortages. Office for abroad Asset Control of the State Department (Szczęsniak: The office of the global economical war | Think Poland) agreed to this transitional phase.
But it is only for a moment, the power to fire the blacklist OFAC is so large that Łukoil must sale abroad assets. And it's under a sanctioned gun, which is cheap. And any will be able to buy this stray and worthless fortune. Not everyone, though. Gunvor, a global oil merchant who grew up to be a giant thanks to contracts with Russian companies, for example, he cannot. He has already signed an first agreement with Łukoil for $22 billion for all abroad assets, i.e. refineries in Europe, oil fields in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iraq and Mexico, as well as hundreds of gas stations.
But first, you gotta ask nicely for the privilege of attending specified a feast, that is to say, the acquisition of the property of a pariah (sometimes, due to the fact that the owner is pressed to the wall). And Gunvor, he heard no way. Donald Trump himself, who announced on his portal that as long as the war lasted, was “the Kremlin puppet, Gunvor, will never get approval to buy and profit”. Is it possible to show more clearly and clearly who governs here, who decides who has the right to gain and who does not?
Of course, after specified a dictum, Gunvor withdrew in panic from this top deal in his history. And then, all white, those who are worthy to participate in the acquisition of bankruptcy appear. For example, specified an investment fund, Carlyle, from Washington, D.C., managing a capital of $150 billion (one of the average US funds, BlackRock, manages 12 trillion, or 80 times more money). Not besides big, but with powerful political connections, you know Washington... George W. Bush, British Prime Minister John Mayor and many another prominent Anglo-Saxon politicians, collaborated with him.
So you can see, cui bono, qui prodest?
Andrzej Szczęsniak
Think Poland, No. 47-48 (23-30.11.2025)
