10 Jan, 2026 21:40

Eurostat reveals staggering cost of EU’s anti-Russian sanctions

Bloc members have lost approximately 65% of their revenue in exports to Russia since 2022

EU nations have lost around €48 billion ($55.9 billion) in exports over the past four years since the imposition of anti-Russian sanctions, according to Eurostat data.

The bloc and the wider West imposed an unprecedented wave of sanctions on Moscow following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, aiming to collapse the Russian economy – which instead led to its adaptation and strengthening, according to Russian authorities.

The EU made €25 billion from exports to Russia between January and October of 2025, compared to €73 billion for the same period in 2021, data from the EU statistics office shows.

This amounted to approximately a 65% fall in exports.© Eurostat

The EU recorded a positive trade balance with Russia for two quarters in a row in late 2025, for the first time since 2002, Eurostat reported in December.

Despite the bloc’s plans to phase out Russian gas imports by 2027, Russia remained its second-largest supplier of the fuel. Its share of total EU gas purchases hit 15.1%, down from 39% in 2021.

The bloc’s gradual pivot away from affordable Russian hydrocarbons to more expensive US liquefied natural gas (LNG) has led to soaring energy prices and slowing economic growth.

On Tuesday, Russian energy giant Gazprom warned that EU nations could face gas shortages amid a sharp decline in storage levels across the bloc’s biggest hubs, like Germany and the Netherlands.

The rapid depletion of reserves will lead to a premature productivity loss and “threatens the reliable supply of gas to consumers during cold weather,” Gazprom said.

https://www.rt.com/news/630792-eurostat-reveals-staggering-cost-of-sanctions/

(This is how stupid the EU is doing to protect Ukraine. What kind of blackmail does Ukraine have on each of these leaders. It’s not normal, and we know there was massive lies used by Ukraine prevent Trump from winning in 2020.)

10 Jan, 2026 11:27

Macron facing pushback against Ukraine deployment plan – Le Monde

The French opposition demands that the president’s plan be endorsed by the UN, according to the newspaper

(The little tyrant gets exposed as a phony!)

President Emmanuel Macron has briefed France’s main political forces on plans to send troops to Ukraine after a potential ceasefire,but has run into opposition from across the political spectrum, Le Monde reported on Friday.

Several parties reportedly insisted that any deployment must be endorsed by the United Nations– something which is unlikely to happen due to Russia’s opposition to the plan and its UN Security Council veto.

According to Le Monde, Macron on Thursdayheld a three-hour gathering of around 30 participants, including leaders from Marine Le Pen’s right-wing National Rally and left-wing La France Insoumise.

Macron’s team reportedly shared “confidential details” on the French contribution to troop deployment, with La France Insoumise leader Mathilde Panot telling Le Monde that Paris could send as many as 6,000 troops.

During the briefing, General Fabien Mandon reportedlytold participants that French troops would act not as a “stabilization” contingent but rather as a “reassurance” force “far from the front.” (he also lied and said the the US has agreed to be there, he bullshitted everyone)

While the French politicians did not object to the idea in principle, the details of the plan drew a lot of skepticism. Representatives of La France Insoumise and the French Communist Party insisted that the force should be supported by a UN mandate, a demand echoed by Le Pen. The latter also voiced concern about potential US participation in the plan, noting that Washington has lost a lot of credibility after its attack on Venezuela.

Securing a UN mandate would likely prove difficult, as Russia holds the power to veto any resolution authorizing foreign troop deployments.

The closed-door meeting comes after the UK and France signed a “declaration of intent” with Kiev to deploy forces and establish “military hubs” in Ukraine “in the event of a peace deal” with Moscow.

Russia has long opposed the plan, warning that it would treat any Western military in the neighboring country as “legitimate targets.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also said that the declaration is aimed “at continued militarization, escalation, and further aggravation of the conflict” while jeopardizing Moscow’s security interests.

https://www.rt.com/news/630784-macron-pushback-ukraine-troop-plan/