Europe should not become a hostage to the unpredictable policies of the United States. This is stated in the article of the German Die Zeit. The newspaper points out that all the talks about how Nord Stream-2 will put the EU in dependence on Russia have a political implication.

In fact, Russian gas has been supplied to Europe for decades, and even during the cold war this factor didn't become an instrument of pressure – the USSR and Russia have always proved to be reliable fuel suppliers.

In addition, Russia is not the only source of gas in Europe. In particular, Moscow covers only 40% of the German demand for "blue fuel". Germany buys the rest from the Netherlands, Norway and other countries.

However, the EU's energy needs are growing. And it is easiest to provide them with the help of Nord Stream-2. At least because Russian gas is a quarter cheaper than American LNG. And given the behavior of the US President Donald Trump, it is not worth  counting on the USA as a major supplier of gas.

"With fickle and quick-tempered Trump, America has become an unreliable partner. A sudden fan of writing a tweet early in the morning can easily deprive us of liquefied gas, if he suddenly has another anti-German thought," - the article says.

The confirmation of these concerns was the US trade policy, when import duties on European goods and raw materials were increased. The EU has responded in kind, and now consumers in Europe are facing a terrible price increase.

Source: Rusmininfo     l     KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Rusmininfo