Nabucco and the Russian gas strategy vis-a-vis Europe

The Nabucco pipeline project poses a double challenge to Russia: it risks weakening both Russia's monopoly in Europe and its monopsony in Central Asia. This article analyses the various channels through which the Russian government and the state-owned Gazprom enterprise have sought to undermine the Nabucco pipeline's options: strengthening their position in Central Asia, proposing construction of Southstream and taking control of the Central European Gas Hub (CEGH) in Baumgarten (Austria). Analysis shows that in all three cases the measures have proved consistent with the objectives of the Russian gas export strategy. Therefore, it is not really precise to speak of a 'direct' reaction by the Russian government to the Nabucco project; rather, Russia has developed an export strategy that has 'indirectly' given an effective response to the project, leaving it in a considerably weakened position.