Originally Posted by
RonanTheBarbarian
Yes of course. Everybody knows that, Russia and Germany want it as well.
Germany, although it is officially a western and NATO ally, always has a certain sense of which it likes to think it can balance a bit between US and Russia.
That is why for the last 20 years or so, Germany has had a very definite policy of wanting to bring in gas straight from Russia via the Baltic Sea in the two Nordstream pipelines (Despite the fact that all US administrations have absolutely hated that idea, as it would make it easier for Russia to mess around with Eastern European and Ukrainian gas supply without adversely affecting customers in Western Europe).
But the problem with that is, that as Germany is in NATO, it can’t be seen to be helping Russia if Russia is being so aggressive in Ukraine. That’s why it has given in to US and NATO pressure and suspended the opening of Nordstream 2.
The Germans are no doubt absolutely mortified that their plan to get a second cheap source of gas has been so messed up, but I am pretty sure that most in Germany lay most of the blame on Putin for this fiasco.
If Putin was as worried about was as focused on the economics of his gas industry as he claims, he would not started the recent aggro, he and he would currently be selling loads of gas to Germany at a high price via the two Nordstream pipelines.
What is actually shows is in fact that with Putin, his geo-strategic foreign policy is more important than the Economics for him.