The Crisis in Russia–EU Energy Relations: An Energy Security Factor

The article examines energy security as a factor in the Russia – European Union crisis-led energy relations at the present stage. It considers conceptual and theoretical aspects of energy security, as well as relevant doctrinal and practical approaches of Russia and the EU to ensuring energy security. The article concludes that the current deep crisis in the Russia–EU energy relations has been caused not only by the parties’ purely political contradictions, but also by their fundamental concerns related to energy security. The European Union, given its official documents, strives for reliable, affordable and sustainable (in terms of both environment and climate) energy supply. It can also seek energy independence by achieving carbon neutrality by mid-century. Consequently, Russia, with its relatively cheap and climate-unfriendly hydrocarbons, and having the image of a politically unreliable energy supplier in the eyes of Brussels (due to a gradual and successful securitization process, started in the mid‑2000s), has actually become an obstacle to ensuring the EU’s energy security. Russia considers its energy security in the sense of security of energy demand, as well as security of energy supply and energy independence. Therefore, it is trying to ensure that its energy industry can reliably, efficiently, independently and environmentally friendly provide the country, its economy and citizens with affordable energy supplies, as well as successfully perform its export functions in current international conditions. The radical and politicized actions aimed at undermining the Russian energy industry and its export potential, undertaken by the European Union during the crisis in Ukraine and especially after February 2022, have come into absolute contradiction with the Russian vision of energy security. The author admits that the restoration of the destroyed Russia–EU energy ties requires not only political “reconciliation” of the parties, but also the removal of substantial risks in the field of energy security that Moscow and Brussels associate with each other.