EU-Russia Energy Relations

EU-Russia energy relations have undergone seismic changes since 2022. From being one of the largest trade flows in Europe and a driver of interdependence, the energy relationship has shrunk in both values and volumes and is now largely seen as an undesirable legacy of pre-war partnership. The EU has sought to diversify suppliers and reduce fossil fuel consumption, especially through its REPowerEU Plan, while Russia has attempted to reorient its exports to Asia and other buyers. The chapter explores these developments and reviews some of the pre- and post-war scholarly literature examining the EU-Russia energy relationship. It delves into issues such as the post-2021 European energy crisis, the key aspects of the REPowerEU Plan, the Nord Stream explosions and other disruptions to critical energy infrastructure in 2022-24, and the current and prospective challenges facing the EU energy market.