The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is on the scrap heap because of the Ukraine crisis. Here's why that matters

There are few energy projects in the world as controversial as the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and on Tuesday, it all but died in the water as Germany's leader halted its approval process over the Ukraine crisis.

The 1,230-kilometer pipeline was supposed to ferry huge amounts of natural gas directly from Russia to Europe via Germany, and although it has been sitting there, built for more than five months, not a single delivery has passed through it.