A highly relevant Webinar on the dramatic changes brought about by the war in Ukraine on the global energy map and especially in Europe, was organized on Tuesday, March 7, by the Energy Institute of SE Europe. Distinguished energy experts from SE Europe and beyond were the speakers of this online event by IENE, entitled "The Geopolitics of Europe's Energy Crisis"
After a short introduction by IENE’s Chairman, Mr. Costis Stambolis, the first session followed, moderated by Mr. John Roberts, Energy Security Specialist from the UK and Visiting Research Fellow of IENE, focusing on energy developments on the world stage in the wake of the war in Ukraine.
In particular, the speakers analyzed the new reality, whereby Europe's energy sector is undergoing a major crisis, as the geopolitical scene is rapidly changing under the weight of unprecedented developments, especially following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In this context, the participants at the first session tried to trace the root causes behind the surge in energy prices as well as the changes that have taken place in the structure and operation of the market. EU's attempt to decouple from Russia's natural gas and energy supplies in general, the G7 decisions aimed at hitting Moscow's energy revenues and the wider implications for global energy trade and geopolitics were the points on which all speakers focused.
The speakers of the first session included Dr. Charles Ellinas (Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Council in the United Kingdom and Visiting Research Fellow of the IENE), Dr. Yurdakul Yigitguden (Independent Energy Consultant from Turkey, former Coordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities of the OSCE, Distinguished Fellow of IENE), as well as Professor Ionut Purica (Member of Prime Minister's Advisory Council for Sustainable Development, INCE-Romanian Academy, Romania).
In the second session, which was moderated by Mr. Ioannis Psaropoulos, journalist and Athens-based foreign press correspondent, issues related to the energy and geopolitical scene as it is being formed especially in SE Europe were discussed. The impact of the war in Ukraine on SE European countries was analyzed by the speakers of the second session, not only considering its impact on electricity and natural gas prices and market functioning, but also with regard to energy security and infrastructure issues. At the same time, extensive reference was made to the revision of the energy policies that the governments of the region were forced to undertake, while the, often divergent, geopolitical considerations from country to country were highlighted.
The panel included Mr. Slavtcho Neykov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Energy Management Institute, and IENE partner in Bulgaria, Ms. Eugenia Gusilov, Director of the Romania Energy Center (ROEC), and IENE partner in Romania, Mr. Mihailo Mihailovic, Independent Energy Consultant and partner of IENE in Serbia, as well as Mr. Christos Dimas, member of the Executive Committee of IENE and Chairman of the Geopolitics Committee of the Institute.
This 2 1/2-hour IENE Webinar on "The Geopolitics of Europe's Energy Crisis" concluded with closing remarks by the moderators. The video of the event is already accessible through the Institute's YouTube channel (here).
