Russian Energy Dependency and the Conflicting Interests of Old and New Europe

When the new democracies of East Central Europe (ECE) were accepted as members of the European Union (EU), there was a widespread expectation among the new democracies that being part of the EU would provide crucial “soft security” in the event that Moscow reverted to more aggressive policies in the region. Indeed, some of the original members of the EU argued that just being part of the Union would provide all the security that could possibly be needed by new member states, particularly in light of Russia’s more pro-Western policies in the 1990s. The thinking in some quarters was that NATO membership was not necessary for Central European security in the current Europe as it would only make a psychologically-wounded Russia even more insecure and isolated. Some influential West Europeans, therefore, argued that membership in the EU alone would provide the security needed in the event that Russia might attempt to roll back the political sovereignty of the newly independent states. The U.S., however, strongly supported the desire of ECE countries to obtain security guarantees through membership in both NATO and the EU.