Sechin’s Empire: The Growing Importance of Rosneft in Russian Politics
Sechin’s Empire: The Growing Importance of Rosneft in Russian Politics

Author(s): Bartosz Bieliszczuk
Subject(s): Economic policy, Environmental and Energy policy, International relations/trade, Security and defense
Published by: PISM Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych
Keywords: Rosneft; Igor Sechin; Russia; foreign policy; energy; oil;
Summary/Abstract: This September, the Russian government supported a request from Rosneft, Russia’s biggest oil company, to allow it to export natural gas via the Gazprom-owned Nord Stream 2 (NS2), which is not yet operational. President Vladimir Putin will make the ultimate decision. However, the EU law requiring access to NS2 for shippers other than Gazprom means that it is possible that the Kremlin will try to allow such limited competition. In practice, it would mean that NS2 is used by only two companies controlled by the Kremlin, which would not comport to EU law. Such a scenario, however, would signal the growing influence of Rosneft’s head, Igor Sechin, on the Russian and international political scenes.

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