Where our team of editors discuss what they think about the current BMEU Issues.
Russia lines up gas purchases for 2010
Gazprom was busy in December, lining up purchases of gas from its southern neighbours for 2010, after cutting back dramatically on the volume of imports in 2009 in the face of falling demand for its gas both at home and in Europe. By the end of the year, Gazprom had restored its supply contract with Turkmenistan, increased the volume of planned gas purchases from Uzbekistan and sealed a new supply deal with Azerbaijan.
Europe's frosty relations with Russia
You can set your watch by it: A sub-zero winter, a deadline over unpaid gas bills between Russia and its former Soviet neighbour Ukraine, and a shutdown of the network that supplies much of Eastern Europe. Can the mighty Russia be trusted to keep supplies to the EU flowing?