... Affairs). The composition of this group certainly recalls the proposed route of the Turkish Stream pipeline, a project which was Russia’s reaction to the plan to halt development of the South Stream. Moreover, by all indications the group will be institutionalised and meetings of the member countries will be regular.... ... noteworthy that these countries want to build a common gas infrastructure, using among other things the financial resources of the European Union.
In the joint declaration
on strengthening cooperation in the energy sphere which was signed at the end of the ...
... significance and political severity of this step was cemented by the time and place of the decision – following talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, at the height of the confrontation with the West over the crisis in Ukraine. The European Union stands to lose the most from the move. By itself, however, redirecting the pipeline through Turkey rather than Bulgaria does not strengthen Russia’s position on the European gas market from a strategic point of view. Rather, abandoning the South Stream project should be a good reason to start a new chapter in energy cooperation between Europe and Russia.
The decision on South Stream can easily be viewed as a reaction to Western sanctions. For years, Brussels has been pursuing an active ...
... caught in an unstable position, torn between the U.S.A.'s pressure on one side, and the economic interdependency with the Russian Federation on the other. This article examines the current state of the issue from a diplomatic standpoint, and the implications ... ... Partnership or TTIP is a trade agreement proposal currently under negotiation, which aims to create an area of free trade between the European Union and the United States. In June 2013, the EU gave directives to its delegations to handle the talks6, but the progress ...
... with Moscow, but one that is possibly motivated by the attempt to force the outcome of the trilateral round of talks between Russia, Ukraine and the EU, which are currently being held in Berlin[13]. The three-party conference, a diplomatic turning point ... ... topics, the meeting is centered on the discussion of issues concerning the gas price for Ukraine and its impending debt. The European Union might be trying to put obstacles to the South Stream project in order to grant concessions for Ukraine, most likely in view of its association with the EU. This is quite ...
... risks. At the same time, this scenario will significantly undermine the economic situation in Ukraine as well as strengthen Russia's position in the Balkans. Clouds began to gather over the South Stream, just as what had happened over the OPAL pipeline (the extension of the Nord Stream pipeline in Germany), long before current developments. The Crimean crisis has only added fuel to the fire.
Today the European Union is facing an unconventional choice. The first option is to “bury” the South Stream Project for the ...
