Why the West, especially Europe, needs Russia
... politically and economically costly process, that will take time and energy away from dealing with Europe’s many other problems. Indeed the power of Russia’s energy giants is most acutely felt in the EU’s eastern Members, where Russian gas can account for up to 100% of imports. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor Igor Ivanov: Russia and Europe: New Rules of the Game To the north, Russia recently submitted a claim to over 463,000 square miles of the Arctic, and its Arctic zone is expected to contain the majority of the region’s gas and a large share of its oil. With the opening of the Northern Sea Route due to melting ice caps, the region will become one of increased economic activity and environmental ...