The work of Moskvicheva E.A. is devoted, perhaps, to one of the most important topics of the modern Russian and international political agenda - energy policy. The circumstances that aroused the author's interest in this topic are probably related to the increased sanctions pressure of the United States and European Union countries in 2022 on the Russian energy sector, which is why Russia announced increased integration with Asian countries and the countries of the Middle East. At the heart of the problem that arises from these arguments lies the author's doubt in the loud statements of politicians and the desire to understand how things really are.
In the work of Moskvicheva E.A. the theoretical aspects of the study of the role and place of Russian gas corporations in the energy policy of the countries of the European Union and the Middle East are investigated, an analysis is made of the influence of Russian gas corporations on the energy agenda of these countries. The author examines in detail the theoretical approaches to the study of gas corporations as political actors, the specifics of the energy policy of the European Union and the Middle East, the importance of Russian gas corporations in the energy structure of the countries of the European Union and the Middle East, the transformation of the energy agenda of the countries of the European Union, the prospects for cooperation between Russian gas corporations in the countries the Middle East, problems and prospects for the development and international influence of Russian gas corporations in the context of a changing global energy agenda. Analyzing the theoretical aspects of the activities of transnational corporations, the author refers to the works of such scientists as J. Nye, R. Keohane, A.I. Shved, E.M. Chuku, S. O'Sullivan. Exploring the problem of the need for a stable energy supply of the European Union, the author notes that only 12 out of 27 states have insignificant deposits of coal, natural gas and oil. The author's analysis of the activities of the Middle Eastern states in the energy sector demonstrates that the focus of the Middle East is gradually shifting towards the implementation of gas projects. The author assumes that Gazprom has big plans for gas opportunities in the Middle East. “We can observe extremely multifaceted cooperation that affects various areas of work - these are pipeline supplies, and LNG projects, and a regional partnership within the framework of the GECF. Such work is fully consistent with the principles of diversifying the gas portfolio of Gazprom, the author concludes. The author also makes a completely fair conclusion that "Russian gas in modern realities is not only a commodity and a source of fuel, but an important political tool."
In the second chapter, the author explores the prospects for cooperation between Russian gas corporations and the countries of the EU and the Middle East. The author believes that Gazprom has a "margin of safety" that will allow it to successfully cope with all problems. The author identifies the following as sustainability factors: the priority of the domestic market in the structure of demand; availability of a developed gas transportation infrastructure; weak dependence on foreign capital; the presence of a large pool of own companies that can offer technological equipment to replace Western technologies in the shortest possible time; own system of formation of the cost of the product. The author believes that Gazprom, more than ever before, is now faced with the need to adapt to new political and economic realities, to form its own balanced assessment of existing risks. As recommendations, the author points out that, first of all, Gazprom should intensify work on the production of its own LNG in order to achieve a leading position in this energy segment. To achieve such an indicator, it is necessary to intensify work on the production of domestic technologies for large-scale and medium-tonnage liquefaction, which will become possible only if the concern works closely with state authorities. Such a partnership, the author believes, will help create conditions for the development of innovation and investment projects and accelerate the qualitative transformation of the Russian fuel and energy complex. The author considers new regions to be the most promising for the implementation of these goals - the Middle East as a center for cooperation in the field of technologies and development of oil and gas fields in the region, the Asia-Pacific Region and Southeast Asia - as potential markets for LNG sales and pipeline supplies.
I would like to note the author's interest in this topic. Moskvicheva E.A. did a serious job - if we talk at least about quantitative indicators (more than 200 sources and used literature, the total amount of work is 162 pages). The work is written in a clear and understandable language, the problem is analyzed deeply and comprehensively, the work is done at a high level. The content of the work corresponds to the stated topic. Topic opened. The basic requirements for the design of the work are met. The text is well-written. Elena Alexandrovna proved to be a very responsible, conscientious, active and interested student. Promptly made adjustments in accordance with all the comments of the supervisor.
Final qualifying work Moskvicheva E.A. “The influence of Russian gas corporations on the energy policy of the European Union and the Middle East: prospects for cooperation and transformation of the agenda” can be recommended for protection in its present form and deserves a high positive assessment.