Rising commodity prices have strengthened the economic outlook of resource-rich countries. Russia is taking advantage of this in a major way, with a particular focus on crude oil and natural gas. As Europe’s most important supplier of gas, Gazprom is well-positioned to reap major dividends. However, the state-controlled energy behemoth’s lukewarm response to sending additional volumes to Europe could be a sign that the company’s strategy has changed. In 2020, Gazprom’s exports decreased from 199 bcm in 2019 to 170 bcm. The majority of this gas transits through Soviet-era pipelines from Russia to Belarus and Ukraine. Another 55 bcm capacity was added in 2011 with Nord Stream’s completion and will be double to 110 bcm when the heavily contested Nord Stream 2 pipeline starts pumping gas at some point in the next two years . The restart of the European economy has increased demand for commodities and led to […]