Editor: Bassam Tarbush
By Jake Spiller
Recently on September 10th, 2024, the Atlantic Council held its ninth annual Central and Eastern European Energy Security Conference. The event sought to provide a forum to discuss contemporary European energy and security challenges. There was a significant focus on the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, which forced Europe to revamp its entire energy industry overnight, particularly for those closest to Russia. Also in the spotlight was the transition to green energy amid the increasing threat of climate change. A central theme of the conference was how energy and security intersect. Panelists discussed how the invasion of Ukraine clearly demonstrated that energy security is national security. The event was divided into multiple panels, each with a specific focus, including European competitiveness in the transition to green energy, challenges in nuclear energy, the effects of elections on transatlantic cooperation, the revitalization of Ukraine’s energy sector, and analysis regarding whether the energy crisis is over. Speakers included prominent figures in American and European politics, such as Sanja Bozinovska, the Minister of Energy, Mining, and Mineral Resources in North Macedonia, many current and former European Ambassadors to the United States, and others from the private sector and NGOs.
Keynote remarks for the event were provided by Jovita Neliupšienė, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to the United States. She discussed the E.U.’s goals of supporting Ukraine, becoming energy independent from Russia, and increasing collaboration with the United States. Neliupšienė highlighted the progress that has already been made since the start of the war, such as the energy support fund that has kept Ukraine’s energy sector afloat even while it is under attack. The fund will help Ukraine become more energy efficient and generate it from renewable sources. Oksana Markarova, the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, stressed the importance of aiding her nation’s energy sector and explained how Russian President Putin is using energy as a weapon – both in cutting off the sale of energy and attacking energy infrastructure in Ukraine. Krzysztof Bolesta, the Polish Minister of Climate and Environment; and Csaba Marosvari, the Hungarian Deputy State Secretary for Energy Security – two nations near Russia – attended virtually and explained how their countries have been affected by the energy crisis and what steps they are currently taking to address these challenges.
The panel on the future of the Transatlantic relationship focused on this year’s elections and how they will shape cooperation in trade, energy, and climate policy for years to come. The two most important elections include the European Parliament election from this past June and the impending United States presidential election in early November. Speakers from the U.S. and Europe discussed how mutual cooperation was essential in decoupling Europe from Russian energy; for example, America significantly increased shipments of liquefied natural gas, boosting the U.S. economy simultaneously. However, even now, some tensions exist, such as the rise of protectionism on both sides of the Atlantic. This includes the subsidies to companies operating in the U.S. provided by the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law by U.S. President Biden. European leaders understand that many in the private sector see the United States as more business-friendly, something that the continent must address so as not to be left behind in the transition to green energy. One of the things that a host of panelists made explicit is how continued Transatlantic cooperation is necessary regardless of who wins the upcoming U.S. election.
The final panel of speakers pointed to how the overdependence on Russian energy has been a major factor in the energy crisis, and that therefore, a shift away from this is needed in order to ease it. For this to become a reality, Europe must unite its energy grid so that energy can flow freely across the continent. Europe must also continually seek diverse energy sources so it can never again be so dependent on one source. Notably, challenges will persist even once Europe shifts to green energy, and the continent must prevent dependence on Chinese chips and technology for building green tech such as solar panels. The speakers emphasized that Europe needs to become a leader in energy, and not just shift its reliance from Russia to China and the United States. The discussion ended with a hopeful message, with the panelists agreeing that Ukraine has shown incredible innovation under pressure, including the speed at which it was able to switch from Russian to European energy while under attack. Once peace is restored, Ukraine will be free to bring this innovation to Europe and its energy sector.
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