Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin threatened to scrap a planned pipeline that would carry Russian gas under the Baltic Sea to Germany. The high-profile project has faced stiff opposition in parts of Europe. Putin told Finland's Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, at a meeting in Moscow that it was up to Europe to “decide whether it needs this pipeline or not." If it did not take a decision, Putin stated that Russia will “build liquefaction plants and send gas to world markets1.

• 1. “Putin threatens to scrap gas pipeline as talks with EU leaders approach,” The Wall Street Journal, November 13, 2008, at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122653533902022571.html?mod=googlenews_wsj