Europe’s Energy Dilemma: Russian Gas vs. Geopolitical Resolve

Hints that German and French energy firms might resume Russian gas imports mark more than just economic desperation—they signal Europe’s quiet recalibration of strategic autonomy.

With U.S.-EU ties fraying under Trump-era foreign policy shifts and Qatar LNG talks going nowhere, some EU players see Russian gas as a necessary evil to preserve industrial competitiveness. While publicly committed to decoupling from Moscow, Berlin and Paris may be preparing for a “cold peace” in Ukraine that allows for limited energy re-engagement without political reconciliation. If flows resume—especially via Nord Stream 2—it could fracture EU unity on sanctions and expose the bloc’s Achilles’ heel: energy security still trumping geopolitical resolve.

Erik Prince (former Blackwater CEO and Trump ally) has launched his own “private” initiative ostensibly to help the DRC get full control over its huge critical mineral reserves, and monetize it.  Reuters sources confirmed that DRC signed the deal in January, right before a significant escalation of the insurgency in neighboring Rwanda. It remains unclear what role Prince is playing in the wider developments here, but insurgents have since seized two major cities in eastern DRC, which will quickly become a major complication for the Trump administration’s plans to get their hands on DRC minerals, via Prince.