this article is of interest as most of europe can get gas through the pipe line so gas prices and manufacturing can be upheld. plus it prevents civil unrest from gas shortages. i would think it would help the european markets for those reasons. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8186946.stm
yes potentially but it is a step forward they were not on good terms for a while. so it means things are improving.