Russia continues to export vast amounts of gas and oil to Europe while importing military goods and mission critical hardware to fuel its war against Ukraine. Some of Moscow’s most notorious strategic corruption projects, NordStream and TurkStream, and their related state capture networks continue to operate despite more than a dozen rounds of sanctions imposed by the European Union and Group of Seven.
Russia’s “no-limits” partnership with China, Europe’s lack of robust common sanctions enforcement, the patchwork of improperly integrated anti–money laundering and criminal prosecution frameworks, and governments and other stakeholders that continue to enable Russia by seeking gains from transactional diplomacy have all emboldened Moscow’s strategic corruption efforts. This has negatively affected the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s geopolitical and geoeconomic standing, particularly in frontier regions like the Black Sea and the Balkans.
Much like it relies on the American defense sector, Europe still relies on the United States to implement effective economic security policies. The EU should accelerate the development of its common institutions for sanctions enforcement and other economic security measures, prioritizing decoupling from Russia’s oil and gas networks. The US can aid this process by continuing to intervene more assertively in high-profile cases and by providing capacity-building support and cooperation.
To discuss how to dismantle Russia’s state capture networks in Europe, Hudson will host a panel with Kleptocracy Initiative Fellow Nate Sibley, Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) Program Director and Chief Economist Ruslan Stefanov, CSD Energy and Climate Program Director Martin Vladimirov, and Dragan Koprivica, executive director of the Center for Democratic Transition, Montenegro.
Senior Fellow Matt Boyse and CSD Chairman Ognian Shentov will deliver opening remarks.
Join Hudson Institute for a discussion of how the US can build a more resilient and flexible energetics base—one that can meet sustained demand while accelerating the development and fielding of new capabilities.
Join Hudson Institute for a conference with leaders from industry, government, academia, and defense to discuss the latest developments in the US-China AI competition.
Join House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (AL-03) for a fireside discussion with Senior Fellow Nadia Schadlow on Congress’s role in revitalizing America’s defense industrial base.
Hudson welcomes Karel Řehka, former chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, to discuss the changing security environment in Europe and its implications for the Czech Republic, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the transatlantic alliance.
