NEW APPROACHES TO THE SECURITY OF GERMANY’S ENERGY SECTOR UNDER CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES

Abstract

The article examines current views of German leadership on ensuring security of energy sector amid the deteriorating political and economic situation in Europe. The issues of reliable and available energy supply became particularly relevant for Germany in 2022. The problem of energy security came to the forefront of the agenda due to the country’s high dependence on imports of fossil energy resources from Russia. The German government took measures aimed at solving this issue including through strengthening control over energy infrastructure. Diversification of energy consumption implied the creation of new infrastructure facilities, securing which has become of great importance for the country’s economy. Special attention is given to the response of German authorities to the explosions on the gas pipelines Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. This terrorist attack has drawn Berlin’s attention to the problem of protecting energy infrastructure, including at sea. The author analyzes Berlin’s positions in the field of energy sector security, identifies the key directions of German energy policy. The article concludes that the existing approaches of the German authorities to the protection of infrastructure facilities in energy sector require rethinking. These conclusions are important for understanding German security policy. They can be reflected in new official strategic planning documents.