If the European Union needed a new warning of Russia’s efforts to strengthen its grip on the continent’s gas supplies, it has come in the shape of President Vladimir Putin’s trip to Libya.

During the visit, Gazprom, the state-run gas monopoly, agreed to a wide-ranging joint venture with Libya’s national oil and gas company. Gazprom also revealed it was talking to Italy’s Eni about investing in a new Libya-Italy undersea pipeline and to Nigeria about a trans-Sahara route. The discussions follow talks with Algeria and Qatar and a determined drive to reinforce Russia’s grip on central Asian gas exports.