Russia-EU Energy Relations: From Complementarity to Distrust?

Abstract

This chapter explores how the development and implementation of the EU’s energy policy have been influenced by the approach to energy policy of its main external supplier of energy — the Russian Federation — and how Russia’s actions in Ukraine in 2014 and 2015 may influence the future of Russia-EU energy relations. This is undoubtedly the most important and challenging of all energy relationships developed by the EU (see Aalto 2007; Romanova 2007, 2010, 2011; Aalto 2012; Kuzemko et al. 2012). Russia supplies much of the energy the EU needs and is at the same time the most influential revisionist great power in the EU’s direct neighbourhood. The conflict in Ukraine has compelled the EU to re-address the question of import dependence on Russia more specifically, as well as matters of security of supply more generally.