October 11, 2016  

Pipeline news update

After Sunday’s report on the Middle East nations’ efforts to construct a gas pipeline that will bring energy to the European Union in competition with Russia, Russia seized on chilling relations with the US and announced President Vladimir Putin reached an agreement with Turkish President Recep Erdogan to build a different pipeline.

The Kremlin’s relationship with Turkey was on the ropes after Erdogan shot down a Russian fighter jet that strayed into Turkey’s airspace. But the two-strongman agreed to revive “a suspended natural-gas pipeline project.”

The pipeline will be called the Turkish Stream and will be constructed under the Black Sea and end near the Greek border. The new project will allow Russian gas and oil to reach the EU markets without ceding any control to other countries in the region.

However, a concern from the West is Russia’s ability to selectively cut off gas supplies, like it has done with Ukraine, without disturbing deals with countries like Italy or Austria. The Russian leader has been actively working to establish a pipeline he can control and it looks like the diminishing relationship with the US will finally open the door with Turkey.

President Obama has struggled to work with Putin and Erdogan. The New York Times said: “The United States broke off cooperation with Moscow over Syria and then accuses the Kremlin of war crimes. Mr. Erdogan has been criticized by Washington for using the aftermath of a July coup attempt to introduce a sweeping crackdown against a wide array of critics, going well beyond the coup plotters and their backers.”

With the region in such chaos and President Obama operating in lame duck mode, Russia has taken advantage of Turkey’s strained relationship with the US and the Kurds to their east. Thus, it appears American’s power in the region may be dwindling.

About thekdreport

Investigative journalist

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