U.S. worried about Russia’s Balkan energy grab

The United States is deeply worried that Russia’s energy deals with Bulgaria and Serbia will tighten its grip on Europe’s energy supply and turn into a tool of political pressure, diplomatic sources say.

The two Balkan states signed up to the Kremlin-backed South Stream gas pipeline over the last week. The 10 billion euro ($14.65 billion) project is seen in the European Union as a rival to its Nabucco scheme, designed to ease its dependence on Russian energy.
On Friday Serbian leaders also signed a deal with Russia giving Moscow control of the Serbian oil monopoly.

A confidential Serbian government document obtained by Reuters said Washington was considering using diplomatic channels to express its concern at the deal and point out the shortcomings.

“The U.S. side warned about the political influence Moscow would gain by controlling energy resources in Serbia and the region, and expressed a negative assessment about the economic justification of South Stream,” said the transcript of a high level meeting between U.S. and Serbian officials in Belgrade.

“They questioned whether our party took into consideration all strategic effects: possible economic dependency and possibility of political control. They were especially concerned with Bulgaria’s decision to join the deal with Gazprom, because it undermines attempts to diversify European gas supplies.”

Guardian