Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly in the final stages of concluding an agreement with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the construction of a new pipeline that could further exacerbate the European gas crisis and allow Russia to outmaneuver the EU in geopolitical and energy games, writes the British Daily Express.
The agreement would initiate the ‘Power of Siberia 2’ pipeline, which, it is stated, would double exports to China, transporting up to fifty billion cubic meters more natural gas each year than is currently done through the Power of Siberia pipeline. This is, coincidentally or not, an amount equal to that for which the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was designed, which is awaiting regulatory approval to commence operations and is intended to deliver Russian gas to Germany and further into Europe via the Baltic.
The British newspaper also notes that information about the launch of the new pipeline comes at a time when Europe is facing an energy crisis, and gas prices are reaching record highs. It adds that the energy crisis in the EU has intensified in recent weeks after some nuclear reactors in France were shut down, and Germany is experiencing weak electricity production from wind farms.
The resulting power shortage has prompted countries to burn more coal, and even fuel oil, to keep the lights on and homes warm, but this comes at the expense of proclaimed environmental goals, writes Daily Express. At the same time, energy and (geo)political experts accuse Putin of manipulating gas supply to pressure the EU into approving the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
