Italians Surprisingly Welcoming To Russian Influence

The CEO of Italian energy group Eni and Romano Prodi, Italy's recently-elected Prime Minister, have praised Russian gas monopoly Gazprom's ambitious expansion plans in Europe despite severe gas shortages earlier this year. Italy was at the sharp edge of last January's gas dispute, suffering shortages as Russia turned off the taps to Ukraine and therefore disrupted the normal supply routes. The effects of an unusually cold winter later in the year, which forced Russia to use more of its output on domestic heating, compounded the problem. The crisis depleted Italy's strategic reserve and forced the government to enact emergency legislation

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