Putin and Energy Policy
Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has never made a secret of his views on energy security, and the policy documents issued by the Kremlin for obvious reasons correspond to his views. Most important among these documents is the Russian energy strategy, approved on 23 May 2003 and confirmed by the Russian government on 28 August 2003. This document concludes that the energy factor is a fundamental element within Russian diplomacy. Russia must use its unique geographical and geopolitical location. In language reminiscent of military strategists, the energy strategy affirms that the state must support the Russian energy companies in the struggle for resources and markets. For this purpose, state planning is of the utmost importance. Thus, the Russian state must have a long-term programme for the development of the export of energy resources. According to the energy strategy, the goals of the Russian energy policy with regard to foreign countries include the need to strengthen the position of Russia in the global energy market and maximise the efficiency of the export possibilities of the Russian energy sector, and to ensure that Russian companies have equal access to foreign markets, technology and financing. The export infrastructure must be sufficiently diversified to allow exports in all directions as well as for use within the domestic market…