The EU and Russia as Energy Trading Partners: Friends or Foes?

Abstract: This paper examines the potential of a trade partnership of the EC with Russia. In doing so, it emphasizes the interaction between politics and international economic law and policy from an empirical perspective. It argues that the EC’s objective of engaging with Russia on trade matters is to establish peace, security, and prosperity in the twenty-first century, and looks at Russia’s rise as an energy power, analysing its control of supplies and delivery systems and its investments in energy infrastructure across the EU, as well as questions about the potential of its production. The paper also examines the EU’s difficulties in forging a common policy on energy supply and recommends a strategy of both integration and diversification, arguing that the EU seek new sources of energy from non-Russian suppliers. The paper concludes with some recommendations on how the EU and Russia should move forward in the energy field.