COMPLETELY different angle by the NYTimes, than in the NDTV Japan story:
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/vladimir-putin-scraps-south-stream-gas-pipeline-on-turkey-visit-628534
He is all but coming out and directly warning Europe that it could get really cold this winter:
“If Europe does not want the pipeline to be realised then that means that it will not be realised,” said Putin, adding that Russia could look to deliver gas to other markets including LNG (liquefied natural gas) deliveries to Asia.
He warned that Russia could now lower gas volumes delivered to Europe.
“We will orientate our energy resources to other regions of the world,” he said. “And Europe will not receive those volumes (that it had) from Russia.”
“But that is the choice of our European friends,” he added acidly.”
A deal with Turkey would still cut off the Saudi pipeline to Europe, which is what controlling Syria is about.
Yes, the drive to get Assad out is about the Saudi-to-Europe gas line. I don’t see how ousting Assad will assure a gas pipeline.
The Russkie spin here is laughable. Russia wanted the pipeline, the EU said no, and that’s a win for Russia? As usual completely absent from your patriotic analysis is what is best for the USA. The end of this pipeline is a win for the USA, precisely because it is a defeat for Russia. What is best for the EU? Who cares? Am I as an American supposed to be upset that the EU is putting America’s interests first, instead of Russia’s. I’m not upset about that, I’m happy.