by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow
As appearing in the Daily Sentinel

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has more pundits than ever talking about the role energy plays in world affairs. Many of TV’s most venerated talking heads seem to have discovered, for the first time, that much of Europe depends on Russian oil and gas, and that alternate suppliers, such as the United States, could change that.

Some of us have been saying for years that the world could be a much safer place if the U.S. and its European allies were energy independent, no longer beholden to Russia or the Middle East for their economic security. The new Russian atrocities, though, have heightened Americans’ awareness, with many now realizing that world peace, not just economics, is inexorably linked to energy.

The danger is not just to Ukraine, although that historically oppressed nation is once again on the front lines. The entire region faces the same problem. European Union (EU) countries get 40% of their natural gas, and just over 25% of their oil from Russia. Oil and gas exports provide more than a third of Russia’s national budget. About 70% of Russia’s natural gas and half its oil go to Europe, the EU being Russia’s largest trading partner, according to the European Commission.

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