a Russian gas corporation Gazprom is at the heart of the Ukraine crisis.

The entire world is watching as Russia invades Ukraine, despite the scant support supplied to Ukraine and its people at this tough time. The stranglehold Russia has over oil and gas supplies, especially among EU giants like Germany, Italy, France, and Poland, is the most powerful leveraging element in its attempts to go against NATO and the EU.

FACTOR GAZPROM

When it comes to gas production, Russia is proud of a firm called Gazprom. It is the world's largest gas producer and a state-owned corporation with headquarters in Saint Petersburg, Russia's Lakhta Center.

Gazprom is the world's largest publicly traded natural gas corporation and Russia's largest firm by revenue as of 2019, with sales exceeding US$120 billion. Gazprom was recognised as the world's 32nd-largest public business in the Forbes Global 2000 in 2020.

INTERESTS OF VLADIMIR PUTIN

Gazprom is currently the frontrunner when it comes to supporting and advancing Putin's interests in the EU and internationally.

Gazprom is a critical ally in the fight against Russia's unforgivable offensives. With the help of Gazprom, Russia could even be said to have meticulously planned their invasion of Ukraine.

Gazprom opted to curtail its supplies to EU countries in the months leading up to the present Ukrainian incursion, resulting in a spike in oil and gas prices and record profits.

With crude oil and gas prices at a seven-year high, Russia is in a very agreeable position, both militarily and financially, to continue its excesses in Ukraine and be less disturbed.

THE EU WISHES TO ATTACK RUSSIA BY ATTACKING GAZPROM.

Germany chose to postpone the approval of the Nord Stream 2 (ns2) pipeline controlled by Gazprom two days before the Russian invasion, in an attempt to put pressure on Russia. Nord Stream is a European network of offshore natural gas pipelines that runs from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea.

The Nord Stream 2 is a new export gas pipeline that runs across the Baltic Sea from Russia to Europe. The decision to develop Nord Steam 2 was based on the success of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, which was built and operated successfully.

2ND NORD STREAM

The new pipeline, which will be comparable to the existing one, will create a direct link between Gazprom and European consumers. It will also guarantee a consistent supply of Russian gas to Europe. This is especially crucial now, as Europe's domestic gas production declines and the need for imported gas rises.

While sources in Germany claim that the delay of clearance for Nord Stream 2 was due to legal issues surrounding the project, it has had no effect on Russia's stance since it invaded Ukraine.

The crucial question is whether EU countries have the political will to impose sanctions on Gazprom that will have a direct impact on Russia's fortunes, or whether countries will continue to rely on Gazprom for their energy needs.

GAZPROM'S POWER
It's worth noting that, after the EU, China is Gazprom's second-largest customer. Will the EU begin to invest in terminals outside of Russia or begin importing from other countries in order to compete with Gazprom?

This is exactly what Yuriy Vitrenko, the CEO of Ukraine's national gas utility, indicated in an interview with POLITICO. "It is past time for the EU to stop avoiding a long-overdue legal fight with Moscow's monopoly on gas exports and to transfer its energy investments away from Russia."

The crucial question is whether EU countries have the political will to impose sanctions on Gazprom that will have a direct impact on Russia's fortunes, or whether countries will continue to rely on Gazprom for their energy needs.

The club started, "Following recent developments, FC Schalke 04 has chosen to remove the logo of key sponsor GAZPROM from the team's shirts."

Gazprom is also one of eight global sponsors of the UEFA Champions League. The men's Euro 2024 competition, as well as the 2023 UEFA Nations League Final, are currently sponsored by the firm.

The UEFA has issued a statement condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine and announcing that a meeting will be held to discuss Ukraine as well as the venue of the 2022 Champions League Final, which had been scheduled for May 28 in St. Petersburg, Russia.