Geopolitics & Energy Security

AC Selects: Former US Secretary of Defense, Ukraine Minister of Defense, and Siemens CEO talk war in Ukraine

Events from week of July 22 and July 29, 2022 Over the previous two weeks, the Atlantic Council hosted Mark T. Esper, the 27th US Secretary of Defense to discuss the four-day Atlantic Council transatlantic delegation trip to Taiwan, Oleksii Reznikov, Minister of Defense of Ukraine to assess the nature of Russia’s war of aggression […]

Russian gas attack: Europe must not give in to Putin’s energy blackmail

By Diane Francis

The CEO of Ukrainian energy giant Naftogaz has told European leaders to prepare for a complete Russian gas cut off and warned that any concessions to the Kremlin will only serve to encourage further energy blackmail.

Canada accused of betraying Ukraine and helping Russia break sanctions

By Diane Francis

Canada is facing accusations of bowing to Kremlin blackmail after agreeing to lift sanctions imposed over Vladimir Putin's Ukraine invasion in order to secure Russian gas supplies to Germany.

How to rescue and rebuild the US-Saudi relationship

By Jonathan Panikoff

The United States cannot ensure its economic and national security as successfully without Saudi Arabia as a key ally.

Putin’s energy weapon: Europe must be ready for Russian gas blackmail

By Aura Sabadus

Disarming Putin's energy weapon: Europe can disconnect from Russia’s gas supplies sooner than some would suggest providing it mobilizes the right human and financial resources to work in that direction.

Ukraine defies Russia and launches electricity exports to EU neighbors

By Aura Sabadus

Ukraine’s remarkable wartime synchronization with the electricity grid of continental Europe moved up a gear at the end of June with the landmark launch of commercial electricity exports to neighboring Romania.

The war in Ukraine and gas in the Western Balkans

By Robert F. Ichord, Jr.

Russia has made inroads in the Western Balkans with its promises of plentiful gas supply. The EU and NATO must grasp the region's strategic value and work to promote efforts to diversify gas imports from alternative suppliers and build an expansive network of gas infrastructure.