The Role of Energy in EU - Russian Relations

Abstract

This thesis aims to study the importance of energy for the EU-Russian relations, with focus on the new millennium when Vladimir Putin became the President of Russia in 2000 and when energy prices increased substantially. The link between energy and power politics has come to characterize EU-Russian relations which are seen through energy security pursuit by the EU and Russia s pursuit to sustain its great power status from the Cold War era. This study argues that the main area of contention in EU-Russian relations is energy. It will analyze how the EU s dependence on Russian energy imports, lack of EU s common energy policy, and Russia s energy foreign policy assertiveness is contributing to EU-Russian conflict.