Russia and China Cement Alliance with New Gas Pipeline

Russia and China used a Eurasian summit this week to manifest closer ties in defiance of the U.S., pledging increased cooperation and signing about two dozen agreements, including in the energy sector.  During the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for bilateral talks and multi-lateral discussions agreements with the leaders of about 20 non-Western nations, including India. The Chinese signaled to the West a new world order in which Eurasian strongmen…