Han Haolei The role of Russia in ensuring energy security of Europe in terms of geopolitics

Abstract: The subject the present research is the ensuring energy security of Europe. The object of research is the energy policy of Russia and the EU. The author of the article examines the role of Russia in ensuring energy security of Europe as well as the role of transit countries in ensuring European energy security in general. The author of the article especially focuses on the role of Russia in ensuring energy security of Europe considering the Ukrainian crisis and consequences of the Ukrainian crisis for the relations between the Russian Federation and the EU in the sphere of energy production. The researcher also touches upon the role of the third countries in supplying energy resources to the EU. The methodology of the present research involves the systems, structural-functional approaches and methods of comparative-historical and comparative-political analysis. The researcher concludes that the strategic partnership between the RF and the EU regarding the energy sector is based on the energy security in the long-term. Due to the Ukrainian crisis, Russia now has to face several challenges, both in geopolitics, geo-economics and external energy policy. Without any doubts, Russia will not only remain the leading operator on the global energy market but also actively participate in further development of markets considerably reinforcing its positions in the globalization of the energy sector.

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