Defusing Russia’s Energy Weapon

As Winter approaches, many people in Central and Eastern Europe remember the chill caused last winter by Russia's deliberate cut-off of gas supplies. Until the EU establishes a common energy policy and a single market for natural gas, Russia will be tempted to use new blockades to continue the divide-and-rule policy that the world has witnessed since Vladimir Putin came to power.

COPENHAGEN – As winter approaches, many people in Central and Eastern Europe remember the chill caused last winter by Russia’s deliberate cut-off of gas supplies. That shutdown was a harsh reminder that gas is now the Kremlin’s primary political instrument as it seeks to re-establish its privileged sphere of interest in what it thinks of as Russia’s “near-abroad.” If Russia is allowed to continue imposing Moscow rules on Europe’s energy supplies, the result will be costly – not only for Europe, but for Russia as well.

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