In October 2021, I posted an article about the potential for Russia to use its supply of natural gas and its pipeline to Europe as a political weapon. This was not possible under the Trump administration because under President Trump America had achieved energy independence. America was capable of exporting natural gas to Europe as needed. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case.
On Wednesday, The Daily Caller reported the following:
The flow of natural gas through a key Russian-controlled pipeline suddenly stopped Wednesday as tensions continue to increase between Russia and the West.
The Yamal-Europe pipeline’s liquified natural gas (LNG) flows, which are operated by Russian state-run firm Gazprom and have usually been pumped westward from Russia to Germany through Poland, were halted early Wednesday, European data showed, according to Reuters. The sudden stoppage reportedly represented a setback after leaders expected the pipeline to return to its normal flow pattern.
In December 2021, Gazprom slowed the pipeline’s gas flows, which represent 10% of the region’s supply, and the company reversed the flow direction from westward to eastward. The sudden reversal sent natural gas prices, which had already spiked amid a European energy crisis, even higher.
Gazprom and the Russian government said that the alteration was a “commercial” decision and that customers would continue to receive purchased gas. But geopolitical tensions between Russia and members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have increased over the last several weeks, potentially putting Europe’s energy supply at risk.
Gazprom is located in St. Petersburg, Russia. It is the largest publicly-listed natural gas company in the world and the largest company in Russia by revenue. Does anyone actually believe that Gazprom does not do the bidding of the Russian government? Does anyone actually believe that Gazprom would be in business if they did not adhere to the wishes of the Russian government?
The article concludes:
On Jan. 25, the White House announced it would help facilitate greater non-Russian natural gas flows into Europe. Such imports would come from North Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the U.S.
“We are collaborating with governments and market operators on supply of additional volumes of natural gas to Europe from diverse sources across the globe,” President Joe Biden said in a joint statement with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Jan. 28. “LNG in the short-term can enhance security of supply while we continue to enable the transition to net zero emissions.”
Gazprom didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.