By Jérôme Guillet and John EvansAmonolithic, Putin-led Kremlin using the "energy weapon" to browbeat neighbouring Ukraine and beyond threaten the rest of Europe with natural gas shortages: the image has become a commonplace during the "gas spats" of the past few years. Yet those spats have a longer history than is generally appreciated - they began in 1992 - and, what is more, Vladimir Putin and Gazprom cannot win a prolonged gas war, and they know it.
Amonolithic, Putin-led Kremlin using the "energy weapon" to browbeat neighbouring Ukraine and beyond threaten the rest of Europe with natural gas shortages: the image has become a commonplace during the "gas spats" of the past few years. Yet those spats have a longer history than is generally appreciated - they began in 1992 - and, what is more, Vladimir Putin and Gazprom cannot win a prolonged gas war, and they know it.
