Russian pipeline to Europe would be strategic mistake by the West

Fuel Fix:

A top official with the U.S. State Department says the Trump administration continues to oppose the construction of a pipeline that would increase Russian supplies of natural gas into Europe.

Called Nordstream 2, the project has aroused criticism that it would deepen Europe's dependence on Russian energy supplies, leaving the European Union vulnerable to manipulation by Moscow.

"We view Nordstream 2 as a project that would cement in place for generations the same vulnerability many Central European and Balkan states" experience now," Sandra Oudkirk, deputy assistant secretary for energy diplomacy at the State Department, said Monday during an event at the Atlantic Council, a Washington think tank. "The president has spoken pretty clearly."

That would continue the position of the former Obama administration, which sought to expand U.S. supplies of Liquefied natural gas into Europe as a buffer to Russian influence. Likewise, Trump has discussed increasing LNG exports as a pillar of his plans to increase American "energy dominance."
...

Why increase dependency on an unreliable supplier.  Europe would have a more secure supply buying US LNG.  The Trump administration needs to be careful and not drive up the cost of LNG with its steel tariffs.