«Energy Security Strategy of the European Union in the Context of Military and Political Challenges and the Russian Aggression (2014-2023)»

Students Name: Zubrytskyi Nazar Romanovych
Qualification Level: magister
Speciality: International Relations
Institute: Institute of the Humanities and Social Sciences
Mode of Study: part
Academic Year: 2023-2024 н.р.
Language of Defence: ukrainian
Abstract: Energy security has always been at the forefront of the geopolitical interests of the European Union. Establishing an energy security system is a priority direction in the EU’s foreign policy to counter contemporary challenges and threats. The EU’s energy security policy aims to coordinate member states to ensure energy efficiency and cooperation. The implementation of this policy is influenced by various factors that shape its strategic course. The effectiveness of the European Union’s energy security policy largely depends on its relations with external partners, as the EU cannot fully satisfy its domestic energy needs with its own resources. Study object – energy security of the European Union. Scope of research – strategic directions of the energy security policy of the European Union in the context of modern global regional threats and challenges of the Russian-Ukrainian war of 2014-2023. Goal of research – to investigate the EU energy security policy in the context of contemporary global and regional challenges and to analyze the strategy of EU energy security in the conditions of Russian aggression 2014-2023. Three groups of research methods were used in the master’s qualification work: general scientific – historical, structural–functional, systemic, institutional; empirical – content analysis, analysis of regulatory and legal sources and documents; logical – induction, analysis, synthesis.The master’s thesis analyzed the source base and state of research on the problem of energy security of the European Union in the context of military-political challenges and Russian aggression in 2014-2023. Mainly, scientists analyzed the international consolidation of the EU in energy security, and the issue of the Russian- Ukrainian war is the least researched. as a challenge to the energy security of theEuropean Union. The history of the formation of the energy security system of Europe and the European Union, which has undergone significant evolutionary changes in its development models since its formation until today, taking into account current needs and challenges, the adoption of treaties, regulations, directives and resolutions that regulate the course of energy policy, is also considered. Normative, regulatory and legal and institutional support of the energy security of the European Union has also been clarified: the significant strengthening of the energy security of Europe indicates a significant development of the legal and institutional framework and the competence of EU bodies in matters related to energy policy. In addition, the energy security strategy of the European Union has been characterized as not fully implemented, mostly due to the fact that some key principles do not reflect the needs of the agenda and require revision of the energy security norms. Next, the common energy policy of the European Union is revealed, its role in ensuring energy security, which demonstrates benefits for moderate demand for energy resources and is able to overcome the energy crisis in the long run. In addition, geopolitical, socio-economic challenges and threats to the energy security of the European Union were identified, which were the shortage and security of energy supply, high prices on all fuel markets, unpreparedness for the energy transition, lack of solidarity, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Along with this, the Russian-Ukrainian war (2014–2023) was investigated as a challenge to the energy security of the European Union. The war changed the course of EU energy policy, causing many problems and providing incentives for energy independence and the energy transition to green energy. In addition, the strategies and forms of activity of the European Union in the field of energy security were determined - diversification of energy sources and their supply, development of energy infrastructure, modernization of the energy market, strengthening of external energy cooperation, support of energy research and innovation. The cooperation of the European Union and the international community to ensure energy security in the context of military and political challenges and Russian aggression is also highlighted, as a result of which we see that the main energy partners of the EU arethe USA, China, Norway, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Japan, Azerbaijan, monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council, India and Ukraine. In conclusion, the consolidation of the European Union and international organizations in the formation of the energy security system in the context of military and political challenges and Russian aggression is evaluated. Therefore, this is facilitated by cooperation with the following structures: G7, G20, Energy Community, OPEC, IEA, IRENA, ISA, IAEA. Key words: European Union, energy security, Energy Security Strategy, energy policy, diversification, energy resources, renewable energy sources, Russian- Ukrainian war. References 1. Бараннік В. (2018). Стратегія енергетичної безпеки ЄС, як відповідь на сучасні гібридні загрози: висновки для України. Регіональний філіал у Національного інституту стратегічних досліджень: аналіт. записка. Дніпро, 28 с. 2. Садигов С. (2022) Проблеми та перспективи забезпечення енергетичної безпеки ЄС під час російської агресії проти України. Право та інновації. Актуальні питання права Європейського Союзу. No 3(39). С. 49–56 3. Ignatov A. (2020) Analysis Of The Energy Security Of The European Union And The Related Policy Framework. Global Economy Journal. Vol. 20(01). 27 pp. 4. The Energy Charter Treaty (2019). International Energy Charter. 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