EU-Russia energy relations: what chance for solutions?

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Public debate on energy relations between the EU and Russia is often distorted, creating significant barriers to a genuine partnership. Central to the conflict is the competition for resource rents among energy-producing, consuming, and transit countries, alongside crucial factors like geopolitics, market access, economic development, and state sovereignty. The EU, amid energy market liberalization, grapples with a growing gap between diminishing domestic resources and escalating energy demand, complicated by diverse interests that hinder a unified energy policy. Meanwhile, Russia is no longer inclined to subsidize neighboring economies with cheap energy exports and is pursuing assertive policies that prioritize its own interests, adopting a distinct approach to globalization. Given the global resource struggle, Russia's substantial energy potential makes it an attractive option for European supplies. However, various outcomes are possible in the strategic interplay between the two. Non-cooperative strategies could lead to mutual detriment. Thus, the EU should focus on strengthening its partnership with Russia, accepting that each party may have divergent goals. The key challenge is finding a sustainable compromise, with a proposed solution involving continued dialogue, a tit-for-tat approach supported by an international institutional framework, and enhanced integration efforts.