Benjamin Schmitt

Jan 13, 2025 | cepa.org | Edward Lucas |Benjamin Schmitt |Andrei Soldatov |Irina Borogan

Europe is under sustained Russian assault. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, acts of physical aggression against NATO’s European domain have surged beyond even Cold War levels.

Jan 10, 2025 | cepa.org | Aura Sabadus |Sergiy Makogon |Benjamin Schmitt

The smooth expiry of Ukraine’s Russian gas transit agreement on January 1 should have been the welcome conclusion to a long chapter in Europe’s turbulent energy partnership with Moscow. Contrary to doom-and-gloom predictions of soaring energy bills, prices have been falling, and Europe’s energy infrastructure is adapting well. Encouraging as it may seem, it may just be the calm before the storm. Winter has barely begun, and the EU is already braced for a sequence of possible crises.

Jan 10, 2025 | cepa.org | Sergiy Makogon |Aura Sabadus |Benjamin Schmitt |Ronan Murphy

Ukraine has taken a decisive step by ending the transit of Russian gas. It aims to deprive the Kremlin of around $6.5bn in revenue from energy exports — money that is used for armaments to kill its citizens. What of the European Union (EU)? It has not had the same courage. EU imports of Russian gas increased last year, especially supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is cheaper than its US equivalent but comes at the cost of arming Russia.

Dec 19, 2024 | cepa.org | Alina Polyakova |Benjamin Schmitt |Ronan Murphy |Aliide Naylor

For two decades, the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) has been at the forefront of strengthening the transatlantic alliance through cutting-edge research and analysis. Across our headquarters in Washington, DC, and hubs in London and Brussels, CEPA works to provide innovative insights on the most pressing issues concerning defense, democracy, and digital for Europe and North America.

Dec 19, 2024 | cepa.org | Sergiy Makogon |Aura Sabadus |Benjamin Schmitt |Ronan Murphy

Over the past 50 years, Russia has abused Ukraine and Europe’s dependence on gas supplies and transit revenues to extort political concessions, spread corruption, and exert malign influence. It cut off exports on numerous occasions, triggering disruption across Europe and freezing millions of consumers during exceptionally harsh winters.