Assessment of Russia-EU Energy Diplomacy in the Context of Geopolitical Changes (2022-2023)

Issue of energy relations had always been a sensitive agenda in regards to geopolitical agenda. Energy resources can be considered as engine that facilitates the achievement of nation-state goals and priorities: both internally and externally. Thus, the question of energy is crucial for major powers. Energy diplomacy and energy security has always been a vital component of international relations between European side and Russian side respectively. Before the intensification of geopolitical crisis, economic ties created on the basis of energy dependency had guaranteed beneficial cooperation in terms of energy for both sides. Nevertheless, eruption of geopolitical crisis in 2022 had resulted in the inevitable deterioration of energy ties in regards to economic cooperation. Energy cooperation, that used to be a driving force behind economic cooperation between Russian and Western side respectively, guaranteeing energy security for both sides, had been deteriorating. Thus, the relations were turned by a new course of energy diplomacy, that are focused on the geopolitical agenda, due to the occurrence of geopolitical crisis. Consequently, international energy companies, being important energy actors in terms of energy diplomacy, have been contributing to facilitation of foreign policy agenda of the nation-states, to which they adhere to. The aim of the research is to deepen understanding in the connection between energy diplomacy and foreign policy objectives through the actions taken by energy companies due to eruption of geopolitical crisis. The research had underlined the connection between geopolitical agenda and the decision-making in global energy companies, thus creating a condition in which energy resources are being politicized and geopolitical environment becoming less secure.