Russia Seeks to Restore Its Sphere of Influence in Eastern Europe – Mariia Zolkina
Mariia Zolkina, Head of Regional Security and Conflict Studies at the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, discussed Russia’s ambitions in Eastern Europe, the implications of a possible US–Russia security deal for European countries, and the prospects of restoring Russian gas supplies to Europe in an interview with Al Jazeera.
Russia’s demands for a new security arrangement with Europe echo its December 2021 ultimatum, which called for NATO to roll back its military presence to the alliance’s 1997 borders. Moscow is once again seeking to limit Western military capabilities and presence in Eastern Europe, including the Baltic states and the Nordic region. However, such demands are even less acceptable to European countries today.
Mariia Zolkina argues that Russia’s ambitions go far beyond Ukraine and its territorial claims. Moscow seeks to re-establish control and political leverage over Eastern Europe by restoring its former influence in the region. This is one of the key reasons why European leaders are seeking a place at the negotiating table in Abu Dhabi: they want to prevent Washington and Moscow from making decisions affecting European security without Europe’s involvement.
Zolkina also addresses the possibility of restoring Russian gas supplies to Europe. She explains that this issue is already part of discussions between the United States and Russia, raising serious concerns among European countries. The EU has deliberately reduced its dependence on Russian energy and secured long-term supply agreements with partners in the Middle East, the United States and Africa. Moreover, Washington cannot make commitments on behalf of Europe regarding the resumption of Russian gas imports.
The analyst also points to potential commercial interests within the Trump administration, including the possibility of American investors participating in a revived Russian gas infrastructure project. However, Europe is not prepared to restore the Nord Stream pipeline.
