On 02 September, Russia and China signed a memorandum to advance the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline. The pipeline is set to transit gas from Russia’s West Siberia to northern China via eastern Mongolia, making it possible to supply 50 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas per year in future. The project underscores Moscow’s pivot to Beijing after losing Europe as a market, while giving China leverage to hedge against any future reliance on the U.S. liquefied natural gas. Seen as a turning point in energy geopolitics, it signals Beijing’s defiance of Western sanctions.