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Two January signals on Russia policy in Europe
Summary
A Czech election result and a US statement on Nord Stream 2, both from 27 January 2018, framed the regional debate on Russia as February began.
What did Europe's argument over Russia look like on 2 February 2018? Two reports from the preceding week, both dated 27 January 2018, give part of the answer.
In the Czech Republic, incumbent Miloš Zeman won a second term as President in the run-off, taking 51.8 percent against the pro-EU challenger Jiří Drahoš. Zeman opposes immigration and objects to EU sanctions against Russia. The margin was narrow, and the contest was set between a candidate with those positions and one aligned with the EU.
The same day, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States and Poland oppose the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. In his account, both see it as undermining Europe's overall energy security and stability.
Why the two items sit together
The reports are separate events, and neither is stated to have caused the other. Together they show that disagreement over how to deal with Russia ran through both electoral politics and energy policy in Europe. One strand concerned sanctions, the other a pipeline project. For readers following Ukraine and its neighbours, the common thread is the question of how closely European states should engage with Moscow, a question the two reports answered in different directions.
