Europe’s institutions should take a tough line on Russian energy, as Moscow’s intervention in Ukraine continues, a group of experts on the region said at a roundtable discussion at London’s Chatham House Wednesday. The expert group of former diplomats and business leaders suggested a series of short and medium-term responses to the tensions between the two former allies, pointing out that Russia’s energy interests are a major source of medium-term leverage for the EU and the West, owing to the revenues they bring in. “The EU should convey the message to Russian energy companies that ‘business as usual’ is not an option while intervention in Ukraine continues,” the roundtable participants said in a statement following the event. They added that the EU should also consider alternatives to the South Stream pipeline, which would allow Russian gas giant Gazprom’s exports to bypass Ukraine altogether. “If […]