Russia's relations with the West nosedived after the Ukraine crisis and the annexation of Crimea. Ever since Moscow has been reaffirming that it's not politically isolated by increasingly engaging with its giant Asian neighbor. The problem, however, is that the majority of Gazprom's export capabilities end in Europe. Pivoting to China, therefore, was essential to lessen dependence.
Okay, I get that.
But at some level of building pipelines to export energy to China, a Russia too weak to resist China's military practically invites a China more dependent on Russian energy to invade Russia to secure energy resources in a crisis.
Can Russia really trust China enough to make China rely on Russian energy? In less than three decades America went from the Rapid Deployment Force to safeguard Persian Gulf energy sources for the West to two significant land wars in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
Is that kind of escalation of interest and capabilities what Russia wants to risk with China?
Which I really don't want. Although I admit I like pointing China inland.
