Russian Pipeline Rattles Europe

Russian natural gas company Gazprom is building a 750-mile, $11 billion pipeline along the bed of the Baltic Sea straight to Germany—and it’s heightening tension between Eastern and Western Europe. The new pipeline, which will completely bypass Eastern Europe, will make Western Europe self-sufficient, forever altering the distribution of energy production in Europe. Those opposed to the pipeline are worried about Russia’s new ability to act as a puppet master by cutting off gas to the east without having to worry about upsetting the west. Gazprom, which supplies Europe with 28 percent of its natural gas, says the new pipeline is simply in response to Europe’s need for more natural gas and will ultimately unify Europe.