Until 19 91, russia was very much sealed off from the rest of the world. And then in one fell swoop in 19 91, or maybe not quite one fell swoop, you have a complete collapse. The commodity traders stepped in and made a huge amount of money doing it. We talked to some of thecommodity traders who were active in the late eighties and nineties'
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has laid bare the West’s reliance on Russian oil and gas. Around 40 per cent of Europe’s gas comes from Russia, while some 7 per cent of US oil is Russian. Journalists Javier Blas and Jack Farchy’s new book, The World for Sale: Money, Power and the Traders Who Barter the Earth’s Resources, tells the story of how trading commodities such as these has shaped the global financial landscape and why we find ourselves in a pivotal moment in which geopolitical and economic relationships are being tested. Investigative journalist and Manveen Rana speaks with Javier and Jack about the book and its wider themes.
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