As fears grow that Moscow may react to mooted western sanctions by halting gas exports to Europe, Europe and Azerbaijan are talking about how Baku may help by boosting its own gas exports westward. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, confirmed on January 30 that Brussels was in …

Fears that Russia will use Belarus to invade Ukraine are growing as Minsk announced that it was deploying troops to conduct military exercises with Moscow near the Ukrainian border. President Alexander Lukashenko said this week that he was preparing to send “a full contingent of Belarusian troops” to the nearly …

Putin seems to understand Biden. Putin also seems to understand hollow threats and ineffective sanctions. Putin, in addition, reduced natural gas exports to Europe by 41% last month… It appears to be a “squeeze play.” Putin would appear to be choking off natural gas supplies to Europe as a wedge, …