Quote Originally Posted by cocco
You don't think that if that was a proposition EU were interested in, it would have happened even without bombing the Nord Stream?
Money talks. Europe will buy whatever is cheaper. And it's absurd to think gas coming from America by ships is going to be cheaper than gas coming from Russia along pipes. An Atlantic pipeline isn't going to be finished anytime soon, only then will American gas be competitive.

Wouldn't it had made more sense to bomb it when it was actually in use and EU was still interested in using it?
Perhaps, but then again maybe it's a great deal more dangerous and environmentally risky to be blowing up a gas pipeline under pressure. The fact it's not in use makes it less serious an incident. There's still gas in there, but it's not under pressure.

Benefits Ukraine how exactly? Do you mean that Ukraine's aching to start selling gas to EU, but they aren't buying because of Nord Stream?
Transit fees. Dude come on, it's common knowledge that Russian gas, before Nord Stream, was going along pipelines that went through Ukraine. This is precisely why Nord Stream was built by Russia, so they could sell gas to Europe without having to pay transit fees to their enemy Ukraine. It gives Ukraine income and leverage. This was unacceptable for Russia, which is why they have invested many billions building two pipelines from Russia to Germany. Without Nord Stream, Russia can only send gas to Europe through the previous infrastructure, which means paying Ukraine transit fees.

With this in mind, do you understand why it is absurd for Russia to attack these pipes? They are giving up their own leverage and handing it to Ukraine.

Nord Streams are ~50/50 owned by Russian and German companies. There is no leverage if no one is buying Russian gas.
Russia were using Nord Stream as leverage. By that I man they had stopped sending gas to put pressure on the West. This only works if these pipes remain operational... the West won't cave into Russia's demands if they can't get the gas flowing through Nord Stream again.

People are arguing that Russia have destroyed their leverage. It makes absolutely no sense. I'm really surprised intelligent people like you and poop aren't seeing this.