About the Book

Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, a number of gas disputes between Russia and Central and Eastern European countries have unveiled the strategic dependence of Europe on Russian piped gas. The recent Ukrainian crisis demonstrated that Europe has a desperate need to improve the security of its gas supply. The United States is interested in the economic stability and growth of Europe, because the European Union (EU) is its principal and largest economic partner. The United States and the EU enjoy the largest trade and investment relationship in the world, which should not be jeopardized by disruptive, anti-status-quo powers. America has economic, political, and security interests in Europe's energy independence. Europe's dependence on Russian natural gas undermines European unity and weakens the primary U.S. allies in their relations with Russia. U.S. Armed Forces in Europe and the U.S. Army, in particular, can and should play an important role in promoting energy security. This involvement includes: increased situational awareness; deployment to the sensitive areas; and enhanced training activities, including with the allies of the U.S. military in Central and Eastern Europe.

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About the Author: ABOUT THE AUTHORS

ARIEL COHEN is an internationally renowned expert on energy policy, with a particular focus on Russia/Eurasia, Eastern and Central Europe, and the Middle East. He is the Director of The Center for Energy, Natural Resources and Geopolitics (CENRG) at the Institute for Analysis of Global Security (IAGS). CENRG focuses on the nexus between energy, geopolitics and security, and natural resources and growth. Dr. Cohen also serves as a nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, within the Global Energy Center and the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center. He is the Principal of International Market Analysis Ltd., a Washington, DC-based advisory firm specializing in energy, natural resources, political risk, and public affairs. He has extensive experience consulting for U.S. and foreign governments, Fortune 500 companies, and major international law firms. Until July 2014, he was a Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC. He frequently testifies before U.S. Congressional committees and conducts White House, Pentagon, and intelligence community briefings. He is a Member of the Advisory Board of the Journal of Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society. Dr. Cohen has published over 900 articles, six books and monographs, and 30 book chapters. He writes for U.S. and international media and regularly appears on CNN, NBC, CBS, FOX, C-SPAN, BBC, Al Jazeera, and others. He is a Contributing Editor for the National Interest and a blogger for the Voice of America and The Wall Street Journal's "The Experts."

IVAN BENOVIC currently works for the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic in Bratislava, Slovakia. In 2013, he was a member of the Young Leaders Program at the Katherine and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Policy at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC, where he worked with Dr. Ariel Cohen. In 2012, he worked at the World Bank in Washington, DC, as a short-term consultant. At both the World Bank and the Heritage Foundation, he focused on the region of the former Soviet Union. Mr. Benovic holds a B.A. degree with honors in international relations from Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO-University), and an M.A. degree in international relations and international economics from the Johns Hopkins University, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.