Escaping Putin’s Energy Squeeze

As Presidents George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin meet in Kennebunkport, Maine, this weekend, Russia’s leader has many reasons to smile. His country is increasing its strategic dominance over Europe’s energy supplies while U.S.-led efforts to promote energy diversity for Europe are faltering and the European Union’s energy policies are in disarray.

On June 23 Russia further eroded European energy unity when its state company Gazprom reached agreement with Italy’s ENI energy conglomerate to build a gas pipeline connecting Russia to Southern Europe via the Black Sea. This could displace a similar, U.S.-backed project called Nabucco, which is important to achieving diversity in energy sources.

washingtonpost