SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF THE RUSSIA FEDERATION STRATEGIC ENERGY PROJECTS ON THE ENERGY SECURITY OF ROMANIA
SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF THE RUSSIA FEDERATION STRATEGIC ENERGY PROJECTS ON THE ENERGY SECURITY OF ROMANIA

Author(s): Alin Chirilă
Subject(s): Security and defense
Published by: Carol I National Defence University Publishing House
Keywords: resources; strategy; dependency; influence; security.
Summary/Abstract: Beyond the economic dimension, Russia's energy projects are meant to support the Kremlin's political and military-strategic actions. By exploiting the growing need for natural resources, in particular, "clean" fossil fuels (natural gas) of the European Union (EU) states, Moscow succeeds in bringing into dependency some EU states, especially Germany, action with repercussions the EU bloc and towards transatlantic relations. As for Romania, although the need for oil imports is decreasing, the share of Russian natural gas imports being on a downward trend, the strategic projects of the Russian Federation may lead to the blockage of natural gas exploits from the Black Sea continental shelf, amid the drop in interest of international companies to exploit the existing natural gas and oil fields, in the conditions of their failure to assure their exports. Through the Nord Stream 2 and Turkstream pipelines, Russian gas will "flood" European market, being the main competitor for the Romanian gas extracted from the Black Sea continental shelf. If Moscow will deliver gas at a lower price than gas extracted from the Black Sea, there is a possibility that the extraction companies and consumers (states) refuse the offer. At the same time, positive developments in bilateral relations between the Russian Federation and countries such as Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, and Greece will favour the implementation of Russian strategic projects, to the detriment of the Romanian ones.

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