Pipeline deal strengthens Russian grip on Europe

Russia notched up major success in its quest to establish a strategic stranglehold on gas supplies to western Europe last week.

Hungarian prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsany met outgoing Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin last Thursday, inking a deal to allow Russia


The Serbian agreement was part of a package where Gazprom gets a controlling stake in Nis, the Serbian national oil company, in exchange for Russia backing Serbia