千山暮雪

German Media Fears Putin Preparing New ‘Raw Materials Trap’ for West_我的网站

A |     Vladimir Putin has prepared a cunning new “raw materials trap” relying on Bolivia’s fledgling lithium mining industry, with the trap expected to “snap shut” and leave the West again dependent on Russia for its raw material needs, Welt contributor Tobias Kaufer fears.,Pointing to the Latin American nation’s massive, untapped deposits of lithium, Kaufer expressed concerns over Russia’s interest in helping Sucre tap these resources, which are crucial for the production of batteries for electric vehicles.,According to the US Geological Survey, Bolivia’s proven lithium reserves are the largest in the world, with the country’s 21 million tons ahead of Argentina and Chile (which have 19 and 9.8 million tons-worth of reserves, respectively, and together account for more than 30 percent of global lithium output).,“Those with access to the deposits can have a say in the commodity’s prices and availability. Russia apparently has particularly good chances in Bolivia at the moment,” Kaufer wrote. For Europe, he warned, Moscow’s success in the lithium ‘poker game’ would make the commodity another area where the EU depends on Russia, just like with oil and gas.,Russia’s success will be contingent on “the outcome of the Bolivian political crime thriller,” the contributor stressed, pointing to the raging struggle between President Luis Arce, a member of former president Evo Morales’ Movement for Socialism party, and right-wing forces backed by the US attempting to overthrow leftist forces.,Ex-Bolivian President Jeanine Anez Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison Over 2019 Coup11 June, 01:54 GMT,“This is where Russia comes in. Morales is considered a clear supporter of Vladimir Putin,” Kaufer wrote, recalling the former president’s calls for an “international mobilization to stop the interventionist expansionism of NATO and the United States” in March following the escalation of the crisis in Ukraine, and years of efforts by Sucre to shore up ties with Moscow during his presidency.,“If Moscow now succeeds in supporting the socialist’s return to power, the path to the lithium deposits would be clear. At the very least, Morales could urge President Arce to sign a deal with the Russians,” the Welt contributor believes.,Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear giant, has expressed interest in helping Bolivia tap its lithium riches, and is one of six companies which have applied for their development. Others include Lilac Solutions (a US-based start-up with investments from BMW and Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures), Chinese battery giant CATL, and three other Chinese companies.,Along with its interest in Bolivia’s lithium, Rosatom has teamed up with Norilsk Nickel to mine for lithium ores in Russia’s Murmansk region. Last year, the company also announced plans to build a major lithium ion cell manufacturing facility in Kaliningrad, with the ambitious project hoping to begin churning out up to 4 GWh worth of batteries, or about 0.5 percent of total global demand, by 2024.,Morales' Legacy: Bolivian Joint Nuclear Project With Russia's Rosatom Unique for Latin America10 June 2021, 16:53 GMT。    The UK government has rolled out the Energy Bills Support Scheme, under which British households will start receiving £400 ($488) off their energy bills from October, with the discount made in six instalments to help families throughout the winter period.,However, the measure does not seem to be enough to save the day, given that Brits have found themselves caught between nearly two-digit inflation and soaring mortgage payments, according to Rodney Atkinson, an academic and political and economic commentator.,"Once the government lost control of monetary policy (or indeed deliberately printed money during COVID in order to debase its own debt) then there are no easy ways out," Atkinson said. "The British government has offered all households energy subsidies and those on support programs more. But now interest rates are rising and although this raises the value of the pound and reduces import and energy costs, the overall effect is more suffering. Mortgage costs and business debt costs have been rising for months.",Increasing energy bills all across Europe are whipping inflation up even further. On July 27, the Guardian made an attempt to blame reduced gas flows through Russia's Nord Stream 1 for the soaring energy prices, while shying away from shedding light on the energy embargo introduced by the US, the UK and the EU against Russia's hydrocarbons. The US and the UK have been in the vanguard of anti-Russia sanctions since Moscow launched its special military operation to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine on February 24, 2022.,"Because much of the rise in costs is due to the political anti-Russia sanctions; changes in monetary policy will have little effect and are not quick enough," emphasized Atkinson. "Only a retreat on oil sanctions by the EU will drive down oil prices (which is already happening). Biden and the EU’s attempts to persuade the Middle East producers of oil and gas to increase production were a failure.",Sunak Vows ‘Radical’ Income Tax Cut as Truss Team Accuses Ex-Chancellor of ‘Another U-Turn’1 August, 08:12 GMT,New British Cabinet Will Have a Lot on Its Plate,While the British government has pledged to slash at least part of Brit’s energy expenditures, the question arises as to where No. 10 will find this money, given that both Tory candidates for prime minister, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, have vowed to cut taxes considerably.,"In an election, the promises are all about cutting taxes and increasing expenditure - a very dangerous combination which is unsustainable," warned Atkinson. "There are many state subsidies and expenditures which could be cut (to justify the tax cuts) but no one likes to mention them. And Truss seems to be piling up ever more spending promises.",Still, it is clear that the new British cabinet will have to exert much effort to prevent people from taking to the streets. The British economist presumes that No. 10 "will have to offer greater subsidies to those caught by the high winter fuel prices.",Nonetheless, "the continuing high profitability of energy producers and energy utilities will further increase the public’s anger at big business and multi nationals who are also seen as not paying their fair share of tax," Atkinson projected.,"Voters are becoming more and more cynical but there are no politicians in any party capable of understanding the fundamental problem of state and corporate profit combined with voter weakness and consumer poverty," he underscored.。

Current article:http://uj19ke.guaxiazaopinduan.cfd/pa6/z038.html

Published on:08:12:42