Russia's European Occupation
Despite the alarm caused by threats to European energy supplies in January 2006 and January 2007, the Europe Union has done little to counter growing dependence on Russian gas and oil. Moreover, as Keith C, Smith argues, in the absence of strong and unified European action, Russia is unlikely to open its energy resources to foreign investment and subject them to international trade rules.
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When Gazprom, Russia’s natural gas monopoly, cut off supplies to Ukraine and Georgia in January 2006, the move was widely seen as a clear warning of the Kremlin’s willingness to use its energy resources to exert political influence over Europe. Twelve months later, Russia drummed home the significance of that act by shutting off oil supplies to Belarus for three days, causing a ripple effect on shipments to Western Europe.