Publication

This paper provides an overview of Russia's energy policy in view of its World Trade Organization (WTO) accession in 2012. The author argues that regional economic integration through the Eurasian Economic Community (EurasEC) and WTO accession have been treated as complementary strategies by the Russian government since the early 2000s as a way of advancing both the Kremlin's regional and multilateral interests. He also highlights the fact that although Russia’s dual energy pricing scheme contradicts WTO rules, limited enforcement capacity can only constrain and not alter the bargaining space of the Russian government with respect to its natural gas pricing strategy.