[Skybird]

Its not as if Russia is completely desinterested in the pipeline. Having no competitive industrial production economy and depending heavily on the export of ressources, the fall of ressource prices early this year and last winter and that year as well, and the cost pressure this meant for Gazprom puts Putin under certain success pressure as well. Pissing the Germans by refusing to hand over Navalny maybe was a risk in his eyes to threaten relations with the Germans who usually are Russia' closest advocate in the Western world.

The same cost pressure pushes the Americans, their fracking industry as well got seriously hit by the low in ressource prices earlier, and now their frakcing industry is in seriuous financial troubles, thats why they want tzo sele their overpriced gas in Europe, no mamtter what pressure it needs. In the end the whole conflict about the pipeline is a powerplay between Russia and America, and over oney, becasue the strtageic interest of the uS in Europe is quickly declining since years (thats why Trump cares so little to piss Europe all the time). Germany was just so stupid to allow becoming the punching ball in their match - amongst others by eliminating coal and nuclear power simultaneously in Germany and so raising the demand for gas.