How Russia is taking advantage of the energy crisis

Brussels Gas prices are rising and rising, there is growing nervousness in the economy and in politics, and the suspicion that Russia is complicit in this is growing louder. Moscow, it is believed, is tightening the EU’s gas supply in order to force the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline to go into operation quickly. What is it about the allegations? Is Russia using energy as leverage to blackmail Germany and Europe? There is enormous potential for conflict in these questions.

But the German Chancellor, clearly keen to avoid major geopolitical inconveniences in the last few weeks of her term in office, is protecting the Kremlin. You advise against making simple statements that Russia is not responsible for the escalation in the energy markets, says Angela Merkel. She does not know of any orders “for which Russia said: ‘We won’t deliver that to you'”.