The gas leak in the Baltic Sea from Nord Stream photographed from the Danish Coast Guard’s aircraft on September 27, 2022. Photo courtesy EPA-EFE/Danish Defence Command. The explosions that hit the Nord Stream pipelines on September 26, 2022 were described as a wartime mystery by the New York Times—but this
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Canadian Dimension: The Nord Stream pipeline explosions: a geopolitical whodunit
This handout picture released on September 30, 2022 by the Danish Defence Command shows one of four gas leaks at one of the damaged Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. Photo courtesy Danish Defence Command. When unexpected events occur in foreign affairs, like a sudden ousting of a
Continue readingCanadian Dimension: Pipeline politics and the Ukraine crisis
Nord Stream 2 pipe-laying in Swedish waters in the Baltic Sea. Photo by Axel Schmidt. “Canada is supporting Ukraine … because we have a clear and urgent national interest in the situation there.” —Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, January 26, 2022 Amid escalating tensions between the United States, NATO
Continue readingCanadian Dimension: Belarus: Freedom and sanctions in a pipeline country
The petroleum sector is crucial to the Belarusian economy, but US sanctions are having the unintended consequence of pushing the Lukashenko regime closer to Russia, whose companies are eager to export their production to the Belorussian market. Photo by Viktor Drachev. Western outrage against Belarus flared again on May 23
Continue readingCanadian Dimension: Nord Stream 2: Last-ditch opposition to nearly-completed pipeline intensifies
Inspectors analyze components of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Photo courtesy Nord Stream 2 Corp./Twitter. In March and early April, when Polish ships ventured into the restricted pipelaying zone for Nord Stream 2, they turned an economic dispute into a military provocation. In separate incidents, a Polish warship manoeuvred near
Continue readingCanadian Dimension: Nord Stream 2 pipeline—a saga of intrusion
An inspector visits the Chelyabinsk Tube Rolling Plant in Chelyabinsk, Moscow where components of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline are being made. Photo courtesy the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia/Twitter. The saga of US actions against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project reads like a John le Carré novel.
Continue readingCanadian Dimension: Venezuela shows courage in challenging US power
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Image courtesy of the Government of Russia. When Iranian tankers were delivering gasoline to Venezuela in May, the situation was tense. With United States sanctions against both countries and the US naval fleet hovering in the Caribbean, President Trump threatened to intervene. Iran’s President countered, stating
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