Russia’s contract to use Ukrainian pipelines to ship natural gas to Europe expires on Dec. 31. The last time the contract was up for negotiation, Russia stopped gas shipments for 13 days in the depths of winter. The result was freezing temperatures in homes from Sofia to Rome. Since then, Russia has built or is building a web of pipelines that will allow it to cut gas flows selectively without interrupting service to other customers.
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James Coyle: Europe deepens energy dependence on Russia
A man works at the construction site of the so-called Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Lubmin, northeastern Germany, on March 26, 2019.
