Russia is prioritizing energy supplies to Asia since the EU has cut itself off from Russian fuel under pressure from the US

Russia and China have signed a legally binding memorandum to build the Power of Siberia-2 natural gas pipeline, a project long described by Moscow as the "world's biggest" in the gas industry.

The agreement was announced Tuesday by Gazprom chief Alexey Miller after a meetng in Beijing attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh. The 50 billion cubic meter per year pipeline will carry gas from western Siberia through Mongolia to northern China, with the Mongolian leg known as the Soyuz Vostok. Supplies will also be available for sale to Mongolian buyers.

Talks on the project have been ongoing since 2006, with route and pricing terms repeatedly debated. The pipeline is expected to operate for at least 30 years once completed. At Tuesday's meeting, Xi highlighted the importance of "hard connectivity" through cross-border infrastructure.

The new pipeline will be seen as part of wider efforts to deepen integration between the three countries.

Russia has reoriented its energy strategy toward Asia after the European Union moved to curtail its fuel imports under US pressure following the extension of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. China has since become the leading buyer of Russian pipeline gas. The Power of Siberia-1 line, launched in 2019, has already delivered more than 100 billion cubic meters to China from eastern Siberia.

Miller noted that gas delivered to China-and eventually to Mongolia-would be cheaper than supplies once sold to Western Europe, citing shorter transportation distances and reduced costs.

(RT.com)