The US State Department unexpectedly frankly explained to Europe that only Russia can save the EU from the cold. In the States themselves, there are now problems at LNG stations. After such a council, the European energy ministers urgently gathered. And they did not agree on anything. To put it simply: the prevailing version is that the current high gas prices are an accident. We have to wait out such prices. But with what to drown? For example, Moldova is asking about this.

In Chisinau at night it is about zero, and heating in 70% of houses has not been turned on. In order not to freeze, some residents even spend the night in cars. The central authorities have not yet come up with anything else but to extinguish the Eternal Flame. This time at the memorial in the city of Cahul. In the Moldovan capital, after the indignation of the townspeople, the flame was re-lit.

“Those at the top came up with the idea of ​​turning off the Eternal Flame, as if it were the main solution in the matter of saving,” notes the Mayor of Chisinau, Ion Ceban. – Shameful, from my point of view, the decision.

Another solution that discouraged many – purchase 1 million cubic meters of gas in Poland… At current consumption This will be enough for Moldova for 7 hours… The authorities call this a trial batch, however, given that Poland itself imports gas, the price of such an overbought gas will be terrible for Moldova. So the Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilitsa, who promised to name the price online, now acts as a keeper of secrets.

– So, we are talking about a million cubic meters from Poland?

– Yes, – confirms the Prime Minister of Moldova.

– At what price?

– We cannot name the price. This is considered a trade secret. This is a market price in the region of 1,000 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters, continues Gavrilitsa. – I cannot say for sure the price, this is also a condition of the contract.

In October, Moldova receives Russian gas at $ 790 per thousand cubic meters. Moscow is ready to make a 25% discount from the market price, but with the obligatory repayment of the old debt of $ 709 million. The debt is real in contrast to 700 million cubic meters of Ukrainian gas: On the eve in Kiev, they wrote that the Moldovan Energocom has signed a contract with the Ukrainian “Naftogaz”.

– This is false news, this is not true. This is how it should be perceived, Natalya Gavrilitsa reacts to the publication in the press.

Meanwhile, schools across the country do not understand what will be used to heat the classrooms. The electrical networks are old and will not withstand the load. Private households do their best.

Due to high gas prices, houses continue to be heated in the old-fashioned way – firewood, brushwood, corn cobs…

It is not known to what extent the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is privy to the details, but in a conversation with Moldovan President Maia Sandu, she promised to help.

– Well talked on the phone with Maia Sandu. We are in constant contact to help Moldova solve the gas supply problem. The EU supports Moldova. Our experts are now on site to help resolve the situation, – wrote Ursula von der Leyen on Twitter.

However, while the experts of the European Commission cannot even help themselves. In Luxembourg, an economic policy was carried out in front of us. Some will return to long-term contracts, others – everything is as it is. France to revise to revise the electricity market, Spain and Greece – to create a common platform for the purchase of natural gas.

– Our proposal is this: option contracts for purchases could be concluded centrally by the European Union, so that they are managed by the GTS (gas transportation system) of the member states, – suggests the Minister of Energy of Spain Sara Agesen.

But there is also the opinion of the European Commission. And there, questions about the joint purchase and storage of gas arise.

– Who will pay the costs of purchasing and storing gas? How will gas be transported from different regions within the EU? – Asks European Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, – And, at present, we see this as an idea, among other things, to make our gas system more sustainable.

About the simplest solution – launch of “Nord Stream-2” – again not a word. But overseas, right in front of the EU mixers, a special briefing was gathered at the State Department. During the conversation, March and the next requirements for Russia are heard.

“I have no doubt, and this has been confirmed by the IEA (International Energy Agency), that Russia is the only supplier currently capable of seriously affecting European energy security this winter,” said a spokesman for the US State Department. – They (Russians) can increase feed volumes… They need to do it, and do it quickly, and get gas through the existing pipelines.

When asked how Europe is going to help the United States, the adviser to the Secretary of State replied that the American state does not have the ability to influence private suppliers of LNG. They have, by the way, today there was a large-scale failure at two terminals at once, which could temporarily decommission almost a quarter of all American LNG production. And although this gas mostly floats past Europe – to Asia and Latin America, negative news could trigger another wave of panic in the European spot market as well.