[austrian]

from cia world factbook:
EU Natural gas - imports:
361.2 billion cu m (2005 est.)
EU Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.31 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

i think this would be enought to hold out some time without
russian gas if forced . (meanwhile we could change gas dependence a lot by building more nuke plants for example).
But as i said before georgia is not “important” enought for the EU to put this all on risk (or even worst start a new cold or maybe hot war over them). the Eu will simply watch what happens and after a short timer there will be buisness as usual between russia and EU because both sides do have zero interest to change this. regardless of the rhetoric that is thrown around right now.

[Lasha]

and how much of those proved reserves are actually deliverable into most of Europe now? What time it takes to build that infrastructure? And how much is a Russian portion in those imports? and what's the projected growth in gas demand in Europe? and don't you realize if Russia succeeds in hiking gas prices, there will be shrinking of European economies - do I really have to explain to you the consequences of that? and what's the expecting timing for building of new nuke reactors? I bet if one continues this way, those nuke reactors will be build by Russians (considering how much Europe will have paid to them by then) and I think we all know how good of builders they are, particularly in this sector.

[Lasha]

Or do you think that Russia will consider that it is enough and stop with Georgia? You really think they will not come after Baltic states - these countries have up to 45% of Russians living there... handing out passports that would take them six month and you have a pretext for invasion into a EU country? What are you going to do then? Or are these countries not important to EU either?