US-Russia Conflicts of Interests on the European Gas Market: Economic and Geopolitical Implications of the Crimea Crisis

In an attempt to reduce the influence of Russia as a main energy supplier to Europe, several members of the US Congress have increased pressure on the US government so as to urgently obtain permits to liberalize US exports of natural gas, mainly to Europe. Russia has recently cancelled an important gas price discount, previously granted to Ukraine, in order to exert pressures related to the situation in Crimea. This movement was a new attempt of Russia to exercise its "power" as a big energy exporter, seriously threatened in the future by the growth of US exports of natural gas. While having a certain interest in countering Russian influence in Europe, the US are limited, for the short term, in their ability to strategically deploy their energy exports for geopolitical purposes. Instead, the United States can support projects to diversify energy sources of the neighbouring countries of Russia, including Ukraine, in order to diminish their dependence on energy imports from Russia. While US is the leading provider of security for Europe, Russia has chosen to be the main supplier of energy. Nevertheless, the latter one has used energy, rather frequently, as a "political weapon" in relationship with its neighbours and as psychological pressure instrument on the European Union, in order to limit its price negotiation force.