Almost two decades have passed since the end of the Cold War but it seems like an unexpected chill has hit world relations.
In this four part series, Tim Whewell looks at the recent conflict of issues that could re-draw the old fault lines that once divided East and West.
Russia has fallen out with its western counterparts over the murder of former spy Alexander Litvinenko.
There are also fears about energy supplies and talks of a new arms race.
Allegations of spying against the US and UK have decreased the chance of negotiation even further.
Could a new confrontation with Russia be on the horizon?
With the Russian presidential elections approaching in March, Tim speaks to Kremlin insiders and key players in Europe and America.
He finds out what has gone wrong and why it has become so hard to dance with the Russian Bear.
Part Two - Pipeline Power
On New Years Eve in 2005 temperatures in Central Europe were well below freezing.
Whilst others were seeing in the New Year, officials at Gazprom, Russia's giant state energy company were on the verge of a momentous decision.
It was to switch off gas supplies to neighbouring Ukraine.
The new year hangover was suddenly shaken off not only in Ukraine but across the rest of Europe, which feared its own supplies would be hit.
Most of Europe's gas is piped via Ukraine and when Gazprom shut down the pipeline in 2006, the flow to the rest of Europe fell, in some areas by forty percent.
In part two of The Kremlin and the World, Tim Whewell finds out what motivated this decision - was it political or simply a commercial manoeuvre for the Russians?
More from this series
Special season
Related links
