Gazprom’s boss said on Friday that Europe will become only more dependent on Russia for its supplies of natural gas in the near future as Asia is absorbing alternative supplies from Middle East countries. Alexei Miller also warned that global competition for Russian output is heating up as this week’s $400-billion gas deal between the Russian energy giant and China’s CNPC showed. “Gazprom was, is and will remain number one supplier to Europe”, Mr. Millar said at the St. Petersburg Investment Forum. Mr. Millar’s comments come as Europe reassesses its economic ties with Russia, notably its dependence on the country for nearly a third of gas supplies, as relations have deteriorated with the deepening crisis in Ukraine after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March. Gazprom has benefited from growing global competition for liquefied natural gas, Gazprom’s chief executive said, with the company intent […]