The war has changed the balance of power in the gas market.
Russia is no longer the world leader in pipeline gas exports; its place has been taken by Norway. In 2025, this country exported 108.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas through pipelines, while the Russian Federation exported only 103.5 billion, according to a report by the International Gas Union. According to the report, compared to 2005, the volume of pipeline gas exports from the Russian Federation has decreased by more than half. The reason is the exit of Russian Gazprom from the European market due to the onset of full-scale war in Ukraine, reports Deutsche Welle.
Currently, the Russian Federation is actively redirecting its natural gas exports to the Asian market, the authors of the report note. This, they say, strengthens Beijing's position in negotiations with Moscow, as the Chinese market is the largest in Asia.
Moscow and Beijing have been discussing the construction of a new gas pipeline "Power of Siberia - 2" for many years, but the parties have not yet reached a final agreement. Reuters reported in December 2025 that the construction of the new pipeline could take up to 10 years.
