Opinion: Europe should call Russia's bluff on energy

Paul Hockenos is a Berlin-based journalist who writes about energy and climate. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own.

Russia's announcement last week that it was halting all gas deliveries to Poland and Bulgaria may have sounded like a bombshell, perhaps even presaging a complete suspension of gas flows to all of Europe. This certainly was Russian president Vladimir Putin's intent: to strike fear into the European countries that are upping their economic and military aid to Ukraine and, in the same stroke, drive a wedge into the Western alliance.

But Russia's bombastic move is a bluff that, should the European Union play its cards right, will backfire spectacularly.

The EU shouldn't blink -- or let itself be caught on its backfoot again. It should implement a full-scale oil embargo, as European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has proposed, which will damage Russia much more than Europe. It would not only hinder the war effort by slamming the Russian economy it would send the unequivocal message that the West stands behind Ukraine and is willing to pay a substantial price to thwart Russian aggression in Europe.