Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Europe has been in a panic about gas supplies to Europe.
The famous Nord Stream 1 pipeline, for which – in particular – Germany has been a warm advocate, has now been shown to be used by the russian president Putin in the psychological game against Europe. It is almost an irony of fate that Germany is one of the countries that is hardest hit. The gas plant has been closed for maintenance a few times and each time the West has feared that the gas supply will never reopen. For some countries it is completely closed – including Denmark. The Russians have so far cut back to 20% of normal delivery. At the time of writing, the gas has been completely shut down due to an alleged gas leak with no reopening date set. The big question is, of course, whether it will be opened again.

The gas is also used to make electricity and in this way the gas and electricity prices are linked together with the consequence that prices become sky high for consumers. Paradoxically, energy companies currently have record profits.

Winter is approaching in Europe and the gas stocks are not yet completely full. Gloomy predictions fill more and more of the media. So, it is tempting to ask the cards the following question: “What will Putin do with the gas supply to Europe this winter?”
The following card appeared:

The spread is primarily read as if you were writing a capital “U”. The two spades clearly show cold and the two red colours warm. The king of spades (Putin) has complete control (4 of spades) over the flow (3 of clubs) of the gas (9 of diamonds). A control which he exploits strategically in his psychological game against Europe/EU. The King of Spades opens and closes the gas tap as it suits him. It cannot be denied that the King of Spades is cold and cynical and will stop at nothing to get his power through. Here it does not help to ask for understanding. But the 4 of spades is not a card that suggests that the gas will be completely shut off. Some gas will flow to Europe in between.
The interesting card is the 7 of hearts. I see it as an energy confused EU trying to get through the winter in solidarity. The 7 of hearts often shows “a second chance” and with the 9 of diamonds as the card at the bottom of the stack, Europe will survive the winter without having to “freeze to death”.
But despite that, the 9 of diamonds is an unstable card, which indicates that it is difficult to guess how Putin will react.

The conclusion must be that Europe must adjust to the fact that the gas from Russia is put on standby this winter, but not shut off completely.

Written 02-09-2022
Shown cards, Piatnik, Wien, Rococo