It is scary to think about how stupid some of the world’s politicans have been. Europe and its big green collaborators have fought long and hard to stop fracking in Europe. Putin got his money’s worth.

“Europe has had nearly a decade — since Moscow cut off gas supplies to the region for the first time– to ready itself for renewed Russian misbehavior, but has been caught as flatfooted as Obama. Instead of reducing their dependence on gas from Ukraine and Russia, the leaders of Western Europe have chosen to combat climate change. Instead of investing in secure energy, the EU has invested in green energy, driving up energy costs, reducing competitiveness, and allowing Putin to remain in the driver’s seat.  

Russia today supplies 30 percent of Europe’s natural gas; half of that flows through Ukraine. In 2006, when the Kremlin first cut exports to the region, Siberian gas provided only 20 percent of EU consumption.“

http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2014/03/19/How-Europe-and-Obama-Lost-Leverage-Putin