It's A Gas.... Or Maybe Not

Last week Russia cut off oil supplies to Belarus as part of a trade dispute. Since that same pipeline also carries oil to the rest of Europe as well, the move effectively cut off the rest of the continent from Russian oil as well. Russia claims that its problems with Belarus are purely over the price of oil, but other observers say that what the Kremlin--and by extension Russian President Vladimer Putin--really want is more control over Belarus' politics.

The Russian trade minister, in what seems like a risky move, now admits that this dispute with Belarus has greatly damaged Russian relations with western Europe.

WHOA!!! That sounds like a roundabout way of criticizing Putin. If the trade minister knows what's good for him, he'll start checking his food with a Geiger counter from now on.