Business Day: US gas exporters may be main beneficiaries of Ukraine crisis

Here is one for conspiracy theorists: US proponents of liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects joined with coal miners and Chinese gas buyers to pay Vladimir Putin to stir up rebellion in Ukraine.

This is of course a ridiculous notion, but it does underscore that the main beneficiaries of the Ukraine crisis are likely to be those that can take advantage of the shift in global energy flows that may be the lasting legacy of the conflict.

While the immediate focus is on efforts to bring peace to Ukraine, the longer-term effect is likely to see Europe seek alternatives to Russian natural gas, and Russia seeking other markets for its energy exports.

Russian President Putin has outlined plans for a ceasefire between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian forces in the disputed east of the country, which were dismissed by the authorities in Kiev.
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