The process certainly started there but Obama's goal was to thwart Putin at every turn. Nordstream 2 was a consolation prize and a means by which to exert greater control over Poland through gas resales.

Now, under Trump, everything is changing and Merkel will move far quicker towards rapprochement with Russia than would have ever happened had Clinton won. It would have been more of what we're seeing which is outside of Trump's direct control.