The Geopolitical Implications of the New Developments on Global Energy Markets: The Major Energy Actors Case

摘要

The article intends to identify and explain possible geopolitical implications for the main energy actors of the new developments on global energy markets and the effect on their foreign policy. To this end, a comparative analysis is provided, including Russia, United States, China and Qatar case studies. Authors examine the international activity of these states with special focus on the process of power shifts between them, their possible alliances and emerging interdependencies. The findings consist of a set of indications regarding direction and strength of geopolitical implications for each country (strong, moderate, negative and positive), foreign policy preferences (enhancement of energy security, maintaining its current position on the energy market or empowering of the state based on controlling supplies or transit of energy resources) and foreign policy strategy (expansive or conservative and offensive or defensive).