By Daniel DePetris
Russia is the world’s largest exporter of natural gas. This provides Moscow with a significant amount of leverage, and the decision by Russian energy giant Gazprom to reduce gas supplies to Europe through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline is the latest sign the Russians are more than willing to use it when necessary (“Russia cuts gas deliveries to Europe via Nord Stream 1”, FT.com, July 25).
The US and Europe are quick to remind anybody who will listen that Russia is turning energy into a geopolitical weapon. This is certainly true. It’s difficult to arrive at an alternative explanation that is halfway plausible.
But outrage aside, nobody should be shocked Russia is using this playbook. Indeed, Russia is hardly the only country seeking to exploit its leverage on behalf of a specific goal, whether it’s pressuring an adversary or making a statement. The US takes advantage of its control over the international financial system whenever it imposes sanctions on another country’s economy. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil producer with the largest spare capacity, essentially used its position to get a visit from a US president. And China, soon to be the largest economy on the planet, frequently uses its large market to pressure other powers in the Pacific (such as South Korea and Australia) to modify its policies toward Beijing.
Russia, therefore, is merely doing what states tend to do. This isn’t an excuse for Moscow’s behaviour, which is abhorrent. And such an explanation doesn’t make the negative impacts of gas shortages in Europe any easier to manage. But power matters in international relations, regardless of the incessant references to the rules-based order we hear on a daily basis.
This piece was originally published in Financial Times on July 28, 2022. Read more HERE.