The Moscow Times: European Union Is Wrong to Block South Stream Pipeline

The European Union's pressure on Gazprom's South Stream pipeline misinterprets both Russian energy initiatives and certain business decisions — such as Gazprom's refusal to export gas to Ukraine — that would seem highly innocuous in other settings.

These attacks expose an expanding rift between how Russia is perceived by a diplomatic community intent on viewing Russia through a Cold War lens, and a global investor public that praises the fruitful cooperation that has defined our ties in past years and values the even greater prospects of future collaboration. It is high time for the EU to appreciate Russia for the strong, trustworthy partnership that it brings to the table.

Today, the EU narrative that Gazprom's decision to halt natural gas exports to Ukraine is "political blackmail" is wholly inaccurate and coincides with the mistaken portrayal of Russia as a "Soviet Union reborn" that is so very prevalent in international media coverage of business and politics in Russia today. In actuality, Gazprom is acting as would any sound business. If anything, it has gone to great lengths to try to accommodate Ukraine despite its ballooning debt, which has now reached about $4.5 billion.
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