Merkel tells Putin Crimea referendum illegal

[mwooldri]

16. Not too worried about a gas shut off.

Russia doesn't have the stranglehold on the EU gas market that it used to have.

The USA will be exporting gas soon. Other supplies will come online. Energy sources will be more diversified. Plus right now the EU had a mild winter. Demand for Russian gas is low right now.

EU countries learned from the first gas cut that they cannot rely solely on Russian gas going through Ukraine. It's sad to say this but fracking in Europe will get more supplies, with potentially large quantities of shale gas in Poland and Ukraine. Also, Ukraine may be more receptive to fracking if it means energy independence from Russia.

If Russia carries on its present path, the EU will be working to get non-Russian gas sooner rather than later. Sure in the immediate future the EU will keep relations good enough with Russia for gas... but with the EU's wishy washy ways the idea of independence from Russian fuel will be pushed forward, with a wishy washy, cobbled together solution.