Power-loss or power-transition? Assessing the limits of using the energy sector in reviving Russia’s geopolitical stature (original) (raw)
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2009
This book examines Russia's new assertiveness and the role of energy as a key factor in shaping the country's behavior in international relations, and in building political and economic power domestically, since the 1990s. Energy transformed Russia's fortunes after its decline during the 1990s. The wealth generated from energy exports sparked economic recovery and political stabilization, and has significantly contributed to Russia's assertiveness as a great power. Energy has been a key factor in shaping Russia's foreign relations in both the Eurasian and global context. This development raises a host of questions for both Russia and the West about the stability of the Russian economy, how Russia will use the power it gains from its energy wealth, and how the West should react to Russia's new-found political weight. Given that energy is likely to remain at the top of the global political agenda for some time to come, and Russia's role as a key energy supplier to Europe is unlikely to diminish soon, this book sheds light on one of the key security concerns of the 21st century: where is Russia headed and how does energy affect the changing dynamics of Russia's relations with Europe, the US and the Asia-Pacific region. This book will be of interest to students of Russian politics, energy security, international relations and foreign policy in general.
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This piece of work examines how Russia uses energy as a political weapon in its foreign policy with its neighbouring countries and its implications for the whole region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Russia uses energy as a tool in foreign policy in both terms: to reward its friends and punish its enemies. Further, it will put thorough light on major incidents of the European as well as Caspian states that suffered repercussions of this policy. Undoubtedly, Russia is one of the world's energy superpower, which possesses abundant natural gas reserves, second largest coal reserves and eighth largest crude oil reserves. Therefore, Putin's ambition is to transform Russia into a global energy superpower. Russian oil and gas resources have prominent role in the global energy market, especially in the Europe and Eurasia. Energy is a strategic resource for Russia and it had been quite instrumental to increase its influence in Europe, Central Asia, and the Caspian Sea region.
Geo-Politic and Geo-Strategic Dimensions of Russia's Energy Relations with EU: 2000-2010
The article comparatively investigates the foreign energy policy of Russia in terms of its strengthening diplomatic position on mutual energy dependence with the EU between years of 2000-2010. The research, hereby, emphasizes the key factors of changing foreign policy perceptions of the Russian Federation in explaining its energy based political tools in 31 energy clashes with 20 countries in the European energy diplomacy between those ten years. To widen scope of the research, the author also focuses on two interrelated policy scopes so as to support the main topic thesis. The first research question focuses on the reasons most often explain the changing, solidifying and constraining factors on Russia’s foreign energy policy toward the EU as reflection of its current statecraft policy. The question refers about how Russia has used its energy card as a political weapon in its foreign relations with the Union. The research starts from the hypothesis that refers to Russia, as a rising super energy power in international relations, has become the most influential and collimating political actor in European energy security through its geo-strategic and geo-politic progresses in its near-abroad thank to the leadership of Vladimir Putin. In order to address the theoretical framework of the research, some core elements of the Neo-Realist theory of Kenneth Waltz will be adapted and reflected into the case such as geo-politic and geo-strategic dimension of the Russian foreign energy policy, the interdependence dilemma of Russia’s energy demand security, Russia’s wider power seeking objectives in its near-abroad and Europe, and Russia’s efforts to re-become a polar in IR.
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Energy trade is an essential factor in EU–Russia relations. This essay argues that Russia and the European Union have deployed two types of power in their post-Cold War energy relationship. Russia has predominantly exerted geopolitical power through the sale of its vast energy resources and selected strategies to channel them to partners. With a large market but lacking fossil fuels, the EU attempted to achieve its aims mostly through regulatory power. However, both the Russian and the EU external energy policy strategies have recently become more nuanced. This evolution in their approaches has resulted in Russia’s gradual acceptance of the regulatory and market principles promoted by the EU.
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Journal of Eurasian Studies, 2011
Explanations of Russia's foreign energy policy typically focus on major events, such as the gas conflicts with Ukraine, and argue that these events represent simplistic patterns of behavior, reflecting the policy-makers' emphasis on politics, commercial gain, corruption, or ad hoc opportunism. This analysis goes beyond these explanations to argue that the Russian leadership pursues a rational set of political and economic goals in its foreign energy policy, but that it is constrained in its efforts by the set of tools available to it. To understand the resulting patterns of behavior, it is necessary to devote more analytical attention to Russia's foreign policy tools and their limits. The article draws on a new dataset of Russia's policy tools in 31 energy conflicts with 20 countries from 2000 to 2010. These conflicts are defining moments in Russia's foreign policy because they put to the test the toolkit that Russia has assembled to impose its will on a counterpart. The study finds increased use of transit pipelines, generally decreased use of subsidies and persistent use of efforts to purchase assets in foreign countries, cutoff pipeline supplies, and attempts to use energy to achieve specific political goals. By emphasizing the tools that Russian policymakers use to conduct policies, the article provides a more nuanced analysis of the capacity and limits of Russian foreign energy policy than is currently available.
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2010
Throughout the transition period, Russia was pursuing an energy policy composed of a set of responses to external developments. However, in the wake of the 2008 crisis, the government expedited the formulation of a new long-term energy strategy aiming to create a comprehensive energy policy to enhance Russia’s sustained development. Externally, Russia’s decisions in 2009 to postpone its accession to the WTO and refrain from ECT ratification sounded alarmingly. However, Russia’s policy course taken in the overall setting was not entirely destructive. By proposing a conceptual framework for international energy cooperation (April 2009), Russia has demonstrated its willingness to become an actor in global energy governance. Recent transformations in Russia’s energy policy can be read within the context of Russia’s aim to conceptualise its vision of energy security more holistically. Based on an understanding of Russia’s multirole status (producer, exporter, importer, consumer and trans...