My guess is that the USA has made a deal with the Saudis. Keep in mind that America is not only their prime consumer of resources, but also their military strongman. The Saudis take a hit now and keep prices low, impacting Russia. In return, the low pricing will also kill the American shale boom, benefiting the Saudis down the road.
Quoting my comments from another thread--it is no co-incidence whatsoever the drop in oil prices.It was always going to be fundamental in applying pressure to Russia.
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"FWIW-- after the Crimean invasion and the threatening behaviour in general of Russia-- Obama did a swing thru the EU talking to leaders--then on the way home to US--he went where? You got it--to Saudi.
I commented on exactly this and the future collapse in oil prices.
Any student of history of the 80/90's will tell you what precipitated the collapse of the old Soviet Union- you got it again-the collapse of oil price.It has commonly been attributed to the US's doing back then-- so hardly a surprise that this strategy was top of the playbook again-- for the same reason--to bring Russia into line.
Earlier in the year the pro-Rus apologists were crowing how Russian gas and oil made them untouchable and nothing the west could do about it. Look at what has happened in a very short time--western actions ( as a result of Russian invasion of Ukraine) have bought the Russians to their knees in remarkably short time. I said within a year-- and it is 6 months ahead of schedule the pain scale they are feeling now--and it is only the tip of the pressure they will feel."
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