Central and South-Eastern Europe after the cancellation of South Stream

Russia's withdrawal from the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline has changed the situation on the gas market and has encouraged new dynamics in diversification projects in the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe. Russia has been attempting to pin the blame for the failure of the project on the European Commission and Bulgaria and hopes to thus mobilise the countries of the region to defend the Russian concept of supplies that bypass Ukraine and provoke a conflict among the countries of the EU; this has not, however, borne fruit. Quite the contrary, after signs of astonishment and indignation, the countries involved in the South Stream project have begun to promote their own infrastructure projects.