European piped natural gas supply from Russia has slowed in recent weeks, raising questions about the drop's potential causes and implications for global gas markets. It comes shortly after German Chancellor Angela Merkel sought to ease long-running concerns about the nearly completed Nord Stream 2 pipeline, saying further sanctions may be imposed if Moscow used gas “as a weapon.” Some analysts have suggested Gazprom ($OGZPY@Russia), Russia’s state-owned gas giant, might be limiting its discretionary natural gas supply to Europe to support its case in starting flows via Nord Stream 2.