“The European Union Unplugged: Vulnerability in the Age of Energy Politics”

Kaylin Meredith Fowler

President of the European Council, António Costa, (Left), President of China, Xi Jinping, (Middle) and President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, (Right), meet to discuss the EU’s potential future with Chinese energy resources. Via: The European Council

When Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, it didn’t just unleash war on Europe’s borders; it threatened the EU’s lifeblood: energy. Previously, before 2022, the EU was heavily dependent on Russian energy production, and with this invasion, questions arise as to where the EU may turn for energy. EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen has said that the EU plans to phase out Russian energy. With geopolitical uncertainty, where does the EU turn for new energy production? Does the supranational giant turn to other global superpowers, or do they look within?  

With uncertainty about what the EU will do going forward, there will be political costs for the supranational organization. The EU in the years after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has faced rising fuel prices and discontent amongst its people in its member states. This is leading to a rise in populism and far-right political groups that can capitalize on the opportunity to claim that the EU is failing and that they can work to reduce energy and fuel costs. In this, one can see that if the EU has energy vulnerability, then its democracy is also vulnerable. It’s time for the EU to figure out its energy crisis before something disastrous happens.

The EU has time and time again said that it wants to accelerate its green transition and that it will ensure the environment is stable enough for future generations. Given that the EU is no longer using Russian energy and is facing the tariffs mentioned above, the EU has turned to China and its so-called “clean tech.” This may theoretically seem like a good idea, but transitioning from one giant superpower to another, holding dominion over the green tech you want, poses issues. There must be a fine line the EU walks to make sure they do not end up in the same place again, given China’s desire for Taiwan. 

To stay relevant on the global stage, the EU should turn its energy vulnerability into energy resilience. The EU’s future strength should be built by investing in its own energy resources and striving for independence, rather than relying on global superpowers to fund its energy supply. Whether this is through offshore wind in the North Sea, advanced nuclear power, or hydrogen corridors in the Mediterranean, the EU must become reliant on itself. This diversification of energy sources could allow the EU to supply its own energy, rejecting the risk of vulnerability again.

Energy independence is the EU’s ticket back to the world stage, and it must recognize that its GDP and military are not the only factors that contribute to its strength. Having energy independence in the 21st century is a great starting point for the EU to recognize and secure its place back on the global stage. The EU is poised to set the tone, and perhaps, the blueprint for other countries to follow, so long as it delivers on its own promise of doing so sustainably. If the EU fails to act, it risks drifting into a gray zone where it must rely on foreign infrastructure and energy systems just to meet the basic needs of its citizens, a dependence it can ill afford.