Virtue of existing. The momentary interruption of the Russian gas supply through Belarus came at the right time, when the European Commission was putting the final touches to its document on the EU's energy policy. The Russian incident brought it home to political decision-makers and the general public that Europe is fragile and that there is a need to act so that its energy dependence does not exceed (or no longer exceeds) acceptable limits.
The Commission's “energy package”, however,...