LIGNET: Putin to Visit China in Quest for 'Holy Grail' of Energy Deals

Russian President Vladimir Putin is pushing for a major trade and political alliance with China in a bid to counter Western sanctions following Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Through a massive proposed natural gas deal, Putin hopes to diversify state-controlled energy giant Gazprom's customer base away from Europe and into Asia.

Click HERE to read an exclusive analysis by LIGNET's top intelligence experts.