Nord Stream - sign of Russia's maturity? | Russia Beyond - Nov. 10, 2011 |

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was in Germany to take part in the official inauguration of Nord Stream, the new gas pipeline that runs along the bed of the Baltic Sea. As a result, Russia can now provide gas supplies directly to Europe and thus bypass third countries such as Ukraine and Poland.

In addition to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who is a member of the Nord Stream consortium, the French and Dutch Prime Ministers, Francois Fillon and Mark Rutte, also took part in the ceremony since firms from France and the Netherlands were involved in the construction along with Russian and German companies. On completion, Nord Stream will have an annual capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas, enough to supply some 26 million homes.

The pipeline cost 7.4 billion euros ($10.2 billion) and stretches for 1,224 kilometers (760 miles), so it was no surprise to hear Merkel say at the ceremony in the city of Lubmin on Germany's Baltic Coast that the pipeline was the biggest energy infrastructure "of our time" and an exemplar of cooperation between Russia and the European Union.

During the ceremony, Merkel called Russia the EU's leading energy partner.

Unfortunately in last election, no leader could fit the shoes she left. The new generation pushing PR narratives w/o economic fundamentals. Rutte is like Johnson and Truss weak w/o his army of legal advisers and dozens of PR consultants. The puppet show for big business will soon collapse and shut down.

'Sapere aude'