The shocking truth: Europe's dependence on dictatorships!

The shocking truth: Europe's dependence on dictatorships!

The EU has done more business with autocratic governments in recent years. This development has become particularly important due to the Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2022. Before this conflict, many Germans believed that securing energy supplies with cheap gas from Russia was a wise decision. In fact, Russia was economically dependent on German know-how, goods and services, which many interpreted as a hope for a political change towards democracy. However, this assumption has turned out to be wrong, as doing business with despots has come under increasing criticism. Members of liberal democracies now recognize their dependence on products from authoritarian states, such as Süddeutsche.de reported.

Dependence on Russian energy was particularly important for Germany. At the start of the war, over 50% of Germany's gas imports came from Russia, and across the EU in the 2010s, around 40% of gas imports, 30% of oil imports and more than a third of coal imports. This dependency had developed over a period of 70 years and was heavily influenced by the Cold War. Interestingly, the energy policy development of the socialist states, including the GDR, also benefited from Soviet energy supplies. According to the Federal Agency for Civic Education The Druzhba oil pipeline was completed in 1964 and became Moscow's instrument of power by supplying Western Europe with energy.

Influence of history on energy dependence

The relationship between Germany and Russia has been influenced by various political developments over the years. With the Federal Republic's Eastern policy in the 1970s, the energy sector was further expanded, and West German and Italian companies provided know-how for pipeline construction. Gas was considered an environmentally friendly and cost-effective energy source, which led to the first business ventures in the 1970s. These pragmatic energy deals made it possible to reduce dependence on Arab supplies and even survived crises such as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

In the 1980s, the share of Russian gas supplies increased to around 40%. This special relationship was cemented by reunification, leading to even more intense energy trade with Russia. Germany exported above-average quantities in the 2000s, making it the largest buyer of Russian gas. Despite accusations that energy trade did not promote democracy in Russia, the expansion of relations continued.

The consequences of the Ukrainian war

The Ukraine War confirmed the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine and revealed the problematic dependence on Russian energy imports. The liberalization of the gas market in the EU should depoliticize political relations and increase the trust of member states. Nevertheless, the previous dependencies remained. EU sanctions against Russia, particularly after the 2014 Crimean conflict, did not affect the Gaz sector, further exacerbating the problem. Even the construction of the criticized Nord Stream 2 pipeline was approved by Germany, despite international disapproval.

The shift away from Russian energy imports, which began in 2022, could have long-term implications for relations between Europe and Russia. Historical path dependency in energy policy is a growing dilemma in the European Union that could shape relationships with autocratic states in the future.