Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine almost six months ago on February 24, but the worst is yet to come in Europe. Already, companies are considering suspending operations, from aluminum smelters in Slovakia to fertilizer producers in the UK. Manufacturers need to plan for the long term, and electricity futures contracts (which are supposed to lock in energy costs) are reaching record prices for 2023 and 2024.
Until further notice, energy will be very expensive, driving up the cost of producing everything from food to paper to chemicals. Moreover, it is not known to what extent countries like Germany, Austria, Italy or Hungary will be supplied with hot water, electricity and heating; it is also not known what the reaction of the populations will be in the event of a real shortage in these regions.
However, not all countries have the same dependence on Russia, which is developing
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UnHerd (London)Founded by conservative journalist Tim Montgomerie in 2017, UnHerd relies on a double play on words. The website is aimed at people who “refuse to follow the herd” (herdin English), and want “learn about ideas and people” unheard-of (unpublished). Described as “non-partisan”, the online media publishes articles by journalists, intellectuals, activists and political figures of all persuasions. UnHerd rejects “news site” label and says focus on “the important events, without the distractions”. Favoring the major philosophical questions arising from current events, UnHerd works on five major topics: capitalism, technology, peripheries, religion and single thought.
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