Academic and popular interest in Russia’s ‘compatriot protection’ surged after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. Fears of ‘Crimea’ constituting a precedent rather than an isolated case were...Show moreAcademic and popular interest in Russia’s ‘compatriot protection’ surged after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. Fears of ‘Crimea’ constituting a precedent rather than an isolated case were common, with journalists and scholars going to lengths as to which post-Soviet republic with a sizeable Russian-speaking population would be the next ‘domino’ in the ‘domino effect’ that Crimea was argued to bring about. Much has been written about Russia’s ‘compatriot protection’ since, but much less has been written about the factors favorable to the hypothesized replication of ‘Crimea’ for individual cases such as Belarus. By transforming Laruelle’s study of Russian secessionism in Kazakhstan into a more broadly applicable analytical framework, this thesis ultimately suggests that the conditions in Belarus – the lack of focus of ‘compatriot issues’ in Russia-Belarus relations, the difficulty of delineating a ‘Russian part’ of Belarus and its population, and the lack of a grassroots organizational framework – are ultimately unfavorable to Russian-sponsored secessionism.Show less
Energy security is currently one of the most discussed and debated topics in political circles. This is partly due to shifting energy narratives and the growing understanding of the different...Show moreEnergy security is currently one of the most discussed and debated topics in political circles. This is partly due to shifting energy narratives and the growing understanding of the different dimensions of energy. For the European Union, energy policy and governance has been placed centrally on the agenda, with the Energy Union becoming one of the key priorities with the new Juncker Commission. The movement towards a broader conceptualization and understanding of energy security has come from a renewed attention on the relationship between the EU and Russia. The EU-Russian energy trade relationship is a central feature of the interaction between the two actors; they are even interdependent when it comes to the natural gas trade. This is crucial to understand the contemporary energy security situation of the EU. This study focuses on this particular relationship by testing it against several indicators in order to gain an insight into the various elements of the EU-Russian energy relationship. In order to meet the energy security challenges effectively and coherently, the EU and the Member States must actively pursue a comprehensive and far-reaching energy governance system, something which has been lacking so far. There have been promising signs that the EU is finally ready to do so with the Energy Union, however the final political feasibility can still be questioned. Any energy security measures that the EU intends to implement should focus on unilateral action since the political relationship with Russia is unstable. The EU should in fact work from its core strengths; economic integration, cooperation and strength in numbers. By concentrating on the market aspects of energy security, the EU can significantly improve its energy security vis-à-vis Russia in the short term.Show less
