European Union's Gas Supply Issue. To Securitize or not to Securitize?

Abstract: This study examines the European Union (EU) gas supplies, particularly those coming from the Russian Federation. The increasing EU dependency upon Russian gas and recent gas disruptions make European leaders think about securitizing gas supplies issue. The aim of the thesis is to analyse consequences of securitization of the gas supplies in the EU through scrutinizing Russian foreign policy in the energy sphere. The following questions are posed: What are the preconditions of politicization process of the energy supply issue in the EU? What are the main features of Russian policy in the area of gas supplies to the EU? What are the possible consequences of securitization of the energy supply in the EU? The theoretical framework assumes that securitization, being a negative process, may lead to ‘energy dilemma’ a situation when an energy consumer wants to diversify its energy supplies and a supplier wants to block consumer’s diversification attempts. The study is conducted with a case study method research. The results show that politicization of energy supplies in the EU stimulated aggressive and decisive Russian foreign policy in the sphere of energy directed on depriving the EU of possibilities to diversify its energy supplies. Securitization and extraordinary measures may lead to the increase of confrontation between the EU and Russia in the sphere of energy supplies. This confirms the theory.