The European Union’s Energy Policy towards Russia, 1991–2022
The European Union’s Energy Policy towards Russia, 1991–2022

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this paper is to show the history of changes that occurred in the energy policy of the European Union towards Russia, with particular attention paid to the situation on the energy raw materials markets. We cover over 3 decades – from the establishment of Russia in 1991 until the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022. We distinguish four stages in the development of this policy: 1991–1999, 2000–2007, 2008–2014, and 2015–2022. The EU energy policy towards Russia suffered from its vulnerability related to the dependence on Russian gas, as well as different visions of the relations and of Russia itself in various EU member states. Russia has become a petrostate, but it has lost its image as a result of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The EU’s undoubted success was the creation of the Energy Union in 2019, which increased the community’s energy security. However, dependence on Russian gas supplies was still huge, and completely cutting off its supplies, even after the escalation of the war in Ukraine, turned out to be impossible, as it would cause a shock to the economies.

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