This Could Literally Change the World

Russia is a global powerhouse and has been for centuries, but it is facing incredible challenges not seen in over 300 years.

I can’t imagine any other country that has seen such a dramatic change in prestige and wealth as the Russians have endured over the past 40 years.

Consider that when Sputnik was launched into space, the United States believed that for the first time in its history, a country could challenge it in a meaningful manner.

America’s race to space was far more than a sprint to reach the moon first; it was a competition in technological supremacy, but even after the Americans planted their flag on the gorgeous lunar surface, the world order was still in favor of Soviet dominance of Europe.

Nothing could have stopped it; the Soviets had soldiers throughout Europe and their oil and natural gas riches were sold to global markets via a network of pipelines. The Russians felt like they would rule Europe forever.

This hubris prevented them from beginning to strengthen their weaknesses, and they didn’t see the need to build ports that would carry their oil to global markets.

Instead of divesting away from pipelines, they built more and more of them, capitalizing on the immense profits, but ignoring the need to have the capacity to load their resources upon vessels and tankers to the open seas.

To this day, I believe that Russia’s lack of initiative in this regard is the reason they’re currently fighting for their very existence as a top-tier nation.

Ironically, the one thing Russia does better than almost anyone is producing fossil fuels, which are attributed to be a major source of pollution and so-called global warming – the reason that the icebergs at the North Pole and Arctic are melting.

The melting of these enormous ice caps has begun to make it possible for oil tankers to traverse the North Sea, Putin’s most interesting ace up his sleeve.

For the first time in human history, the Arctic Silk Road, the water passage from Asia to Europe through the North, which could shave days from shipping routes, save billions in costs and open a whole new trading route, will be developed by the Russians. If successful, they will have solved for the first time in their history the predicament of access to the open seas.

That, my friend, is an ace up Putin’s sleeve.

While it sounds romantic and heroic for the Russians to tilt the global odds in their favor, it’s a feat of monumental proportions and would cost hundreds of billions to put into motion, but the ROI would be so much greater.

The Russians would have to build highways, electrical infrastructure, ports, settle populations, construct airports and train workers in the harsh conditions of the far north, but if they are successful, they will have solved one of the greatest of all weaknesses for their national aspirations.

If you think this is not top-of-mind for the Russians, you are deeply mistaken.

They want the North Sea and are building a fleet to rule it!

Best Regards,

Lior Gantz
President, WealthResearchGroup.com