© RIA Novosti/Eduard PesovLavrov visits Bulgaria to discuss South Stream gas deal.
A clutch of countries is
breaking ranks with the EU's efforts to put economic and diplomatic pressure on Russia over Ukraine and building a pipeline meant to carry huge amounts of Russian gas to their doorstep.
Their defiance of a European Union stop work order is more significant than just another missed chance for Europe to call out the Kremlin. Russian natural gas already accounts for around
a third of the EU's needs. The South Stream pipeline could increase Russian supplies to Europe by another 25 percent, potentially boosting Moscow's leverage long after the Ukraine crisis fades.
Adding to the skein of Russian pipelines already ending in Europe, South Stream would go through
Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia, Austria and Italy in one leg and
Croatia, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey in a second. The European Commission, the EU executive, has
ordered a construction moratorium over concerns with Russia's dual role as pipeline owner and gas supplier. It has also delayed some political talks on the pipeline amid the crisis in Ukraine.
"Developments in Ukraine and Russia have demonstrated that the EU's priority is to diversify its energy sources," says spokeswoman Sabine Berger of the EU Energy Commissioner's office.
But
Austria, Hungary, and Serbia - the first two EU members, the third a candidate to join - have said they will build their sections of the project and others may follow,
to the displeasure of the EU and United States. In the wake of Austria's decision last month, Washington urged it to "
consider carefully" whether that contributed to "discouraging further Russian aggression."
Comment: It should not be forgotten that France's first 'Muslim radical', Mohamed Merah, was conscripted, funded and 'radicalized' by French intelligence: