On January 28, 2022, the United States (US) and European Union (EU) announced that they are working together on guaranteeing energy security in Europe and Ukraine.
Highlights
- This announcement was made amid the standoff triggered by Russia by amassing troops at Ukraine’s border.
- US And EU are jointly working towards continued, timely and sufficient supply of natural gas to the EU from diverse sources worldwide, in a bid to avoid supply shocks.
What is the standoff triggered by Russia?
Russia has amassed about 100,000 troops within reach of Ukraine’s border. Thus, it has surrounded Ukraine from the north, east and south. This move has raised alarm in the West that Russia is preparing for a new military assault, after Crimean invasion in 2014. However, Russian government is denying any invasion plan.
Gas supply from Russia to EU
The EU depends on Russia for a third of its gas supplies. Any interruptions to gas supply from Russia to Europe would exacerbate the existing energy crisis due to shortage.
The Russia-Ukrainian War
It is an ongoing and protracted conflict, since February 2014. The conflict primarily involves Russia & pro-Russian forces and Ukraine. It is also supported by NATO and European Union. War is centered around the status of Crimea and parts of Donbas, which is recognized as part of Ukraine, internationally.
Russia’s fight against Ukraine
Russia recently carried out one of the largest military deployments in Europe after the Second World War. It has deployed over 1,00,000 soldiers around Ukraine and has been threatening the use of conventional force. The War is a continuation of politics by other means. Russia’s objectives are:
- To prevent an eastward expansion of NATO
- To capture chip away at the legitimacy of current Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and
- To capture territory for a post-conflict negotiated settlement with Ukraine.