Representation of the EU-Russian energy relations: coverage of the Nord-stream pipeline's construction in German quality media

Despite the current deep crisis in Russia-EU relations joint energy projects between Russia and the European Union (EU) are still highly important, especially taking into account the constantly growing energy necessities in Europe. It is obvious today that the Nord Stream Pipeline from Russia to Germany - the first direct gas pipeline connecting Russian gas fields to the European consumers without mediation of the third countries - was an example of successful cooperation, which no longer happens since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis. The construction of the Nord-Stream Pipeline began in the 1990s and the first branch of the pipeline was launched in November 2011. Meanwhile the support and opposition to the building of the pipeline was reflected by public debates as well as on the pages of leading media sources in different countries. This article provides an analysis of media coverage of the EU-Russian energy relations such as they were represented by German quality press in articles covering the construction of the Nord Stream pipeline. The media analysis allowed to make a number of conclusions on the balancing between "German" and "European" prism of coverage, its objectivity, the importance of the stylistic means and the linkage between gas and moral in Russian-EU relationship.