Mongolia – No Gas

I have actually been thinking to write the following text for weeks but kept putting it off—much like I have postponed other blogposts about Mongolia and Sri Lanka (which is also worth noting here)—simply because I lack the necessary time. However, I drove to Cologne and back today, and both times I saw lines of cars—albeit in the opposite direction of travel. Prices for various types of fuel have risen above €2.50 per liter. You would think that people would drive less as a result. But they don’t! It was a similar story during the trip through Mongolia.

The main problem with the trip in July 2026 [1] was a fuel shortage. Gasoline and diesel are primarily sourced from Russia; the war in Ukraine caused—and continues to cause—a supply deficit, making the journey possible only through significant logistical efforts. Diesel had to be carried on the roof of the kitchen truck, and there was a contract with a gas station chain that would only dispense pre-ordered fuel. Many stations had run out of fuel entirely. Long lines—up to 200 meters—formed at the stations that were still dispensing fuel; this occurred not only near the capital, Ulaanbaatar, though the lines were somewhat shorter elsewhere.

While Russia and the war in Ukraine—instigated by Putin—are the root of the problem in Mongolia, we can hold the war with Iran—instigated by Donald Trump—responsible for the situation in Europe, Germany, and large parts of the rest of the world. China is on the path to becoming independent of fossil fuels, particularly through wind and solar energy. Europe and Mongolia would do well to follow suit.

Link(s) and Annotation(s):
[1] Reisen durch die Mongolei im Juli 2026 und im Juni 2023
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2026/08/reisen-durch-die-mongolei-im-juli-2026.html 
Text in German without translation, but maybe I republish this blogpost in English.

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