Introduction
Industries, private firms, and public companies use natural gas to pursue their organizational goals. The demand for this resource has continued to rise significantly in an attempt to promote global economic growth. This situation means that consumer and producer regions should cooperate if they are to record positive results. The example of the European Union (EU) and Russia explains why a mutual agreement can deliver numerous benefits to different stakeholders. Unfortunately, the EU-Russia cooperation has resulted in a major energy security dilemma. The paper presented below proposes to examine the interdependence of this relationship and why it remains a major concern in the continent.
Detailed Outline
The proposal below focuses on the security issues surrounding the European Union-Russia energy relations. The first section is the problem statement and describes how the existing interdependence has led to energy security problems. The literature review section examines the effectiveness of imperialism and realism theories in explaining the future of interdependence between the EU and Russia.
The next two parts offer the proposed research questions and sources of information for the final paper. The study method section explains why a qualitative approach will be used throughout the process. The last part supports the implementation of superior policies to address each side’s demands, reduce the current energy security stalemate, and bring the region closer to its economic objectives. The conclusion summarizes the issues discussed in the research proposal.
Subject Matter: Problem Statement
The end of the infamous Cold War led to the disintegration of the Soviet Union. However, Russia remained a leading exporter of natural gas to different countries in Europe. Siddi (2017) indicates that the current cooperation between Russia and the EU has lasted over five decades. However, numerous challenges and opportunities continue to dictate the future of this energy relationship. The existing cooperation is important because it supports Russia’s economic growth while at the same time sustaining the EU’s industries. Unfortunately, each side has been keen to formulate specific policies in an attempt to reshape the nature of this energy relation. These issues form the subject matter for the proposed research study.
Most of the original initiatives and goals of the EU-Russian cooperation have become less significant. For instance, Russia began to implement assertive policies informed by the concept of realism. This strategy led to the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia (Makarychev & Yatsyk, 2017). Consequently, the political nature of the energy relationship has continued to change significantly. On the other side, the EU has proposed strict rules in an attempt to promote a liberal energy correlation. The outstanding dilemma is that each party believes that the interdependence has increased chances of becoming asymmetrical. The establishment of evidence-based policies to minimize potential challenges is something that appears to threaten each side’s dependence.
Literature Review
The wars (the Great War and the Second World War) experienced in Europe from 1910 catalyzed numerous ideas and concepts to protect human life. Similar insights would later inform foreign policies and international laws. One of the outstanding schools of thought is called liberalism (Forsberg & Haukkala, 2016). This theoretical framework is founded on several principles that focus on mutual benefits. Energy relations are guided by diverse factors, including security policies, national interests, and concepts of dependency. This is the reason why many scholars use liberal theory to study the issue of energy relations between the EU and Russia.
This model supports the formation of nongovernmental players and international organizations in an attempt to promote cooperation. The adoption of a liberalist approach is something that can give weight to the analysis of regimes and their abilities to embrace transparent policies (Makarychev & Yatsyk, 2017). This model usually emphasizes the relevance of cooperation and the ability to reduce inter-state upheavals.
Liberal theories indicate that countries engaged in international trade will achieve their economic objectives, thereby minimizing chances of conflicts. Proponents of this theory argue that international institutions and mutual agreements can play a critical role in promoting cooperation among countries. Unfortunately, the events and security predicaments experienced in Europe have forced many scholars to challenge the appropriateness of liberal theories in describing or studying the EU-Russia energy relationship (Makarychev & Yatsyk, 2017). This is the case since interdependence between the members of the EU and Russia has resulted in security tensions that can threaten the future of many citizens. Consequently, both sides have gone a step further to formulate competing laws and foreign policies.
The parties involved in the energy relationship believe that the future of the interdependence might become lop-sided or unsustainable. In his study, Glenn (2015) observed that both parties had higher chances of becoming extremely dependent than ever before. The predicted result is that every side will go further to take advantage of this reliance (Siddi, 2017). Past studies have also indicated that both the EU and Russia have decided to adopt competing policies to insulate themselves from such an exposure. This development is, therefore, contrary to the foundations or expectations of liberalism.
Realism is another theory that has become relevant in the study of modern international relations. According to Krickovic (2015), the model seeks to explain why governments focus on selfish interests. Geopolitical changes and unfriendly pursuits by neighboring countries force leaders to pursue evidence-based policies that can maximize chances of survival in an anarchic international system. The theory reveals that distrust and increasing prospects of conflict (or war) encourage countries to strengthen their military capabilities (Aalto & Temel, 2014). The repetitive patterns of upheavals in different parts of the world explain why realism remains a valid theory in modern times.
In the recent past, many countries have applied a realist approach to their respective energy relations. Past studies have indicated that natural gas and fossil fuels are capable of increasing rivalry among states. This means that conflict over energy resources is something inescapable in the modern world. Forsberg and Haukkala (2016) use the example of the upheaval experienced in Ukraine to support this argument. Since energy is crucial for economic development, countries will always focus on it whenever formulating their foreign policies. The ultimate objective is to have unlimited access and control over energy resources.
The Russian-EU energy resources interdependence remained stable for over five decades, thereby proving that liberalism was a powerful model for minimizing interstate conflicts. However, the beginning of the 21st century resulted in new challenges and misunderstanding that created an unpredictable future for the region’s energy sector. In 2004, the EU expanded by allowing more countries to join the Union.
This move was aimed at tackling the increasing level of dependency. From 2006, the Ukrainian incident undermined the reliability of Russia as a suitable supplier of natural gas. Russia decided to use its natural resources as a tool for changing its foreign policy. The Ukraine-Russia conflict of 2014 forced the EU to impose political and economic sanctions on Russia. These developments would eventually leave a negative mark on the EU-Russian energy relations (Krickovic, 2015). The above obstacles continue to diminish the possibility of having sustainable long-term energy relations between Russia and the EU.
Research Questions
These research questions will be considered throughout the proposed study:
- What are the views of the EU and Russia towards energy trade in Europe?
- How has the issue of interdependence contributed to the energy security dilemma between Russia and the EU?
- What are strategies, theories, and ideas that can transform the nature of the EU-Russian energy cooperation?
Source of Information
Quality information will be gathered in an attempt to complete the proposed study successfully. The major sources taken into consideration include journal articles published within the past five years, books focusing on the EU-Russian energy relation, and official government publications. These key words will be used to identify the most appropriate resources: EU-Russia energy relations, realism theory, international energy relations, and liberal theory. The information contained in each article will be studied carefully to produce a quality research paper.
Study Method
The proposed research method is that of a qualitative research process. Several steps will be followed to deliver meaningful insights. The first one will be to analyze the above research questions and problem statement. The second step is to gather quality insights from the selected articles. The third one will be to make summaries and inferences based on the key words presented above. The last step is to present quality discussions and conclusions based on the case study of the EU-Russian energy relationship.
Possible Results
The proposed study is expected to explain why the existing Russia-EU energy interdependence has become a critical issue that amounts to a security dilemma. The research will challenge the effectiveness of liberal theories in analyzing international relations. It will also explain why superior ideas are needed to address the major issues the EU and Russia are facing. The conflict has also revealed that interdependence in Europe is something that has resulted in security tensions.
However, it will be necessary to describe that the existing predicament is focused on the energy sector. There is also a need for all countries involved to engage each other and focus on foreign policies that can address the current stalemate (Forsberg & Haukkala, 2016). Specific issues that the leaders of this region should take seriously include security of gas supply and political stability. The proposed dialogue will eventually result in mutual benefits and support every citizen’s welfare.
Conclusion
The proposed research study will offer numerous ideas for analyzing the nature of the EU-Russia energy relationship and how the existing interdependence is a catalyst for security dilemma. The paper will explain why each side cannot improve its internal security or promote new policies without threatening the welfare of the other. The projected result or observation is that the notions of interdependence in accordance with the realism model have failed to deliver positive results. The final proposition will be for the two parties to develop a superior regulatory mechanism to meet their respective demands while at the same distributing revenues and risks fairly.
References
Aalto, P., & Temel, D. K. (2014). European energy security: Natural gas and the integration process. Journal of Common Market Studies, 52(4), 758-774. Web.
Forsberg, T., & Haukkala, H. (2016). The European Union and Russia. New York, NY: Macmillan International Higher Education.
Glenn, D. (2015). Inter-democratic security institutions and the security dilemma: A neoclassical realist model of the EU and NATO after the end of the Soviet Union. East European Quarterly, 43(2-3), 137-161.
Krickovic, A. (2015). When interdependence produces conflict: EU–Russia energy relations as a security dilemma. Contemporary Security Policy, 36(1), 3-26. Web.
Makarychev, A., & Yatsyk, A. (Eds.). (2017). Vocabularies of international regions after the crisis in Ukraine. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.
Siddi, M. (2017). EU-Russia energy relations: From a liberal to a realist paradigm? Russian Politics, 2(3), 364-381. Web.