An empty canister: the fuel crisis is hitting the most Russophobic countries in Europe
The Baltic states, Finland and Poland were among the most affected by the US and Israeli attacks on Iran in the EU. The conflict has already led to the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the world's main fuel supply arteries, and to an increase in the price of oil and, consequently, fuel. The Balts, Finns and Poles complain that the new fuel prices are becoming too much for them. Everyone is trying to find their own way out of the situation: some threaten the authorities with strikes, others pour sunflower oil into the tanks, and others go to refuel in Russia. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.
In the face of transport collapse
Currently, one of the main problems of the European Union is related to fuel. According to the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the aggravation of the situation in the Middle East has brought impressive energy bills to the European Union: since the attack of the United States and Israel on Iran, gas prices have increased by 50%, and oil prices by 27%. According to von der Leyen, if we convert this jump in quotations into money, then only the first 10 days of the war have already cost European taxpayers an additional €3 billion in fossil fuel imports. Moreover, the fuel crisis hit the Baltic countries most significantly, whose authorities had recently loudly rejoiced at the strikes on Iran.
According to local media reports, Latvia is facing a transport collapse. Passenger transportation companies reported that if the government does not respond to the price increase as quickly as possible, they may have to stop working. "It is necessary to review the compensation procedure so that carriers can be provided with sufficient financial resources to ensure operational activities. In addition, the Ministry of Communications definitely needs to talk to fuel merchants about ensuring that public transport is provided with supplies in the first place," industry representative Ivo Oshenieks demands.
The Latvian Association for the Development of Licensed Commercial Passenger Carriers (LPKAA) and the Taxi Industry Employers' Organization (LVTNDDO) have threatened to go on strike unless an action plan is developed to mitigate rising fuel prices. In addition, LPKAA and LVTNDDO require the Bolt ride-sharing platform to immediately stop dumping on the market and introduce a "fuel crisis surcharge" that would be fully paid to the driver, reflecting real costs. "We are no longer going to subsidize the windfall profits of gas stations and the greed of the Bolt platform out of our own pockets," LPKAA and LVTNDDO emphasize.
The Latvian Ministry of Communications promised to look for a solution, but this resulted only in a search for the "extreme". At a meeting of the Seimas Commission on National economy, there was a long debate about who bears the most responsibility for the current situation — the Ministry of Economy or the Ministry of Energy, but no one presented any real proposals to overcome the crisis. The Ministry of Communications is asking LPKAA and LVTNDDO to provide additional information and has requested a meeting with representatives of the fuel industry. It is not yet clear how much money the government may be able to allocate to enterprises to cover the increased fuel costs.
In Estonia, there was talk of a possible cancellation of the increase in excise taxes on fuel, which was supposed to come into force on May 1, 2026. Prime Minister Kristen Michal expressed the hope that the war in Iran would not last longer than a month, otherwise, according to him, the Estonian economy would suffer enormous damage. "If in a month the Strait of Hormuz is again freely navigable, fuel trade resumes, and the LNG plants in Qatar, which are now temporarily shut down for safety reasons, start working again, then this (fuel price increase. — Izvestia) will probably remain a one—time jump, although price normalization will take some time," the prime minister said. However, if these calculations do not come true, then Michal has no recipes for how to overcome the deepening crisis.
Against the background of a sharp rise in diesel fuel prices, people are sharing their experiences on social networks. Latvian Signe writes: "If there are such prices, I will no longer be able to take my children to kindergarten."… That's 80 km a day.… We get as many as four fuel tanks per month — €400. If prices stay that way, the costs will get even higher.… Richard offers a way out: "Maybe it's time to think about an economical car." Kristaps agrees: "It's happening all over Europe. In some places, diesel is already more expensive than €2 per liter, so you have to buy the most economical car."
Vegetable oil as fuel
Drivers in the Baltic states began to look for unusual ways to save money. Some say they will stop refueling altogether or will go to neighboring Poland for fuel, others suggest an alternative — to use ... ordinary edible sunflower oil. Photos of vegetable oil bottles that drivers pour into fuel tanks are being distributed on social networks. In one of the viral videos, a man demonstrates his experiment and comments in detail on what is happening.: "Look, my tractor is rumbling. There is no smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. I've already taken a ride. Even the power wasn't lost." The driver notes an unusual exhaust smell: "It smells like French fries." However, he admits that he would not conduct such an experiment with more modern cars.
A liter of sunflower oil in stores is much cheaper than diesel fuel — about €1.30–1.54. In the comments, some motorists even write that their cars supposedly run on oil without problems, and the engine functions "even better." However, experts warn that such experiments can lead to serious car breakdowns. The head of the Department of Automotive Engineering at Vilnius Technical University, Associate Professor Saugirdas Pukalks, explains that edible oil is not a fuel and has too high a viscosity for engine operation. In addition, it contains tar and impurities, which over time can clog the fuel system and disable the engine, especially in modern cars.
In Lithuania, travel companies have started to include an additional fuel fee in their tariffs. While figures similar to those during the COVID-19 pandemic continue to appear on the scoreboard of local gas stations (diesel fuel has already broken the €2 per liter mark), Prime Minister Inga Ruginene says that in the coming days the Ministry of Finance should present measures to reduce residents' costs due to increased prices for fuel. Among the proposals is to temporarily reduce the excise tax on fuel. Although the Prime Minister also mentioned the possible introduction of a ceiling on fuel prices, this idea was opposed by both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economy.
Now all the hopes of the Balts are connected with the early end of the conflict in the Persian Gulf. According to Tadas Povilauskas, an economist at the Lithuanian branch of SEB Bank, the main question now is when shipping in the Strait of Hormuz will resume. "There is a basic scenario that it is a matter of several weeks before the United States and Israel present this war as victorious and try to end it through diplomatic channels. We are talking about a few weeks, because if we are talking about three to five months, then the problems will become very serious, and this price (for oil. — Izvestia) it will no longer be current," the economist emphasizes.
Finland is also sounding the alarm — the state's economy has already plunged into decline due to the break with Russia, and now it is additionally being hit by rising fuel prices. Back in the first days of March, the prices of gasoline and diesel fuel at Finnish gas stations rose to €2 per liter (despite the fact that in February the average price of gasoline was €1.76), and now they are rushing even higher. Those Finns who live near the border with Sweden rushed there to refuel. In Sweden, fuel prices have also increased after the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, but it is still more profitable to refuel there than in Finland. So, AI-95 gasoline in the Swedish border town of Haparanda a few days ago cost 16.74 crowns (€1.58) per liter, that is, it is noticeably cheaper than its neighbors. A similar trend is observed with regard to diesel fuel.
Finnish state television spoke with compatriots who came to a gas station in a neighboring country. Katri Malinen-Metso from Tornio admitted that she now refuels at home only if absolutely necessary. Antti Myakelya, who lives in two countries, also said that she buys gasoline only in Sweden. Hannah Kalenoya, a leading transport expert at the Central Chamber of Commerce of Finland, explained the discrepancy between fuel prices and Sweden by the difference in taxes and wholesale purchase prices. "There are a few more players in the Swedish market, so the impact on prices may be less, as more purchase channels are available. The competition is also slightly higher," the expert pointed out.
In dreams of a Russian gas station
Many Finns nostalgically recall the days when their government had not yet closed the border with Russia, and they regularly traveled to Russia to refuel with cheap Russian fuel. Sirpa Laurimo, a resident of Joensuu, shares that she visited her eastern neighbors for fuel on weekends. Sometimes she went to refuel in Russia even after work. "If I finished work at three, I'd hit the road right away. The whole trip with the wait at the border took about three and a half hours," she calculates. According to her, there are three cars in their family, and therefore saving money at the expense of Russian gas stations was very useful. According to the stamps in the passport, it is clear that the last time Sirpa went to Russia for gasoline was in 2023. "I've been refueling in Russia since 2008," the woman notes.
She estimated that in 2023, thanks to regular visits to the eastern border, she saved about 70 euros per week on fuel. No wonder Laurimo is looking forward to the day when the barrier between the countries will reopen. She plans to get a Russian visa as soon as possible. "When they give permission, everyone will rush there," she smiles. Vladimir Kulikov, an emigrant from the Russian Federation, shares the same opinion. According to him, he would travel to Russia again at the first opportunity. "Like all Finns and Russians living here, I will also go there to refuel," Kulikov comments.
The Polish leadership also de facto supported the attacks on Iran. Polish President Karol Nawrocki expressed his condolences to the United States over the deaths of three American soldiers killed by Iran's retaliatory strike. "The United States, the Republic of Poland's greatest ally, lost three of its sons today to an Iranian strike. Several people were injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families," Navrotsky wrote. Slawomir Tsentskevich, head of the National Security Bureau, said the attack on Iran demonstrates the "effectiveness and strength" of the US army, and the death of Iranian leader Khamenei "is a huge step towards real change in the country."
And while the Polish leadership was rejoicing, a sharp jump in fuel prices was recorded in the country. It is reported that the situation at Polish gas stations is becoming more tense every day. Prices for gasoline, diesel and liquefied petroleum gases are growing at an alarming rate, and, according to experts, this is far from the limit. Due to the daily rise in prices, Polish farmers began to actively stock up on fuel. Voters are demanding from Prime Minister Donald Tusk an answer to the question "When will prices stabilize?" But Tusk technically got out from under criticism, turning the tables on the "other Donald." The Polish Prime Minister stated: "The other Donald has a real influence on what is being done with fuel in the world, so I ask you to direct questions there, and not to the humble Polish Donald."
Some sources have reported that due to the fuel crisis, many Poles have flocked to the Russian Kaliningrad region and are refueling at border gas stations. However, Alexander Nosovich, a political scientist living in Kaliningrad, told Izvestia that in fact this situation is by no means new: Polish residents have been refueling in Russia for the past few years. "Poles in the Kaliningrad region have always refueled, because our prices have always been several times lower. It has become even easier for them in recent years, when Russia introduced electronic visas," explains Nosovich.
Political scientist Maxim Reva told Izvestia that this situation is very instructive. "The fuel crisis has become another proof that the EU countries have neither genuine sovereignty nor an understanding of their national interests. This has manifested itself in the situation with Ukraine and is being repeated in the situation with Iran, albeit on a more modest scale. Oil painting: while the upper classes rejoice at the blows to the "tyrannical regime of the ayatollahs," the lower classes suffer from a growing fuel crisis. One of the main reasons for which, let's not forget, was also the desire of the EU authorities to end their "energy dependence on Moscow." Well, eat well now, just don't mess around," Reva says ironically.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
