

This article focuses on the EU-Russia energy diplomacy after the disruption of gas supply in January 2009. Russia's policy is strategic, focused, and consistent. EU still does not have a common strategy on that issue. Even though there is a general consensus on the need for secure gas supply and some practical steps in that regard have been taken, European efforts are not yet consolidated. As a result, bilateral prevails over multilateral in EU-Russia energy relations and for the EU there is the growing challenge in becoming more dependent on Russian gas. The research identifies a number of security implications of the Russian pipeline diplomacy: the “divide and rule” policy towards European Union members and “near abroad” and its influence on the EU and NATO decisions, the Georgia crisis and the Ukraine case. In conclusion, this research argues that the EU needs to develop and implement a common energy policy in order to guarantee its future as a global actor. To achieve this, it is recommended that Brussels starts considering its energy relations with Russia as interdependent ones, taking into account Moscow's reliance from financial and infrastructural point of view.