"Two opposing narratives frame the strategic future of Europe, one geopolitical and one economic, and both center on the same resource: natural gas. In The Bridge, Thane Gustafson, an expert on Russian oil and gas, argues that the geopolitical rivalries that capture the lion's share of media attention must be viewed alongside competing business interests and differences in economic ideology. Even as post-Soviet Russia pushes west, and Europe pushes east in a contest of business models, economic doctrines, and political ambitions, natural gas maintains its central role in East-West relations. With a dense network of pipelines linking Europe and Russia, natural gas serves as a bridge that unites the region through common economic interests. Tracking the economic and political role of natural gas through multiple countries--Russia and Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway--The Bridge details both its history and its future prospects"-- Provided by publisher.

Introduction -- Two worlds of gas -- The beginnings of the gas bridge -- From optimism to anxiety -- Norway and the rise of the North Sea -- Soviet gas: the last hurrah -- Crossing the Channel: the neoliberal tide reaches Brussels -- Brussels: marching to market -- The battle for Germany -- Gazprom survives and gets away -- Gazprom under pressure -- Russia and Ukraine: conflict and collusion -- Russian-German gas relations -- Battle joined, war averted -- Conclusion: The future of the gas bridge.