Publication

This paper reminds us that Western Europe's cautious response to Russian actions in the Crimea and Eastern Ukraine is linked to 1) its continued dependence on Russian gas imports, 2) Gazprom's politicized control over Russian gas deliveries, and 3) the resulting energy security problems the continent has. All is not lost, however. There are steps EU members can take to mitigate their dependence on Russian gas, including leveraging the size of their market share over Moscow and creating a competitive gas market over time.