Canadian Implications in NATO’s Renewed Energy Security Role

Table of Contents Introduction The Russian Threat and the Weaponization of Energy Implementation of NATO’s Role in Energy Security Canada’s Role for Energy Security Conclusion End Notes About the Authors Canadian Global Affairs Institute Introduction In a modern context, defence operational capacity depends heavily on energy. Just like the old saying that “an army marches on its stomach,” a technological and mechanized military requires large amounts of fuel to operate its army, air force and naval fleets. Considering these energy needs, military logistical details have major implications for NATO, especially when Russia’s war in Ukraine has exposed Europe’s $1 billion-a-day expenditure on Russian oil, gas and coal as weak points in the Alliance’s strategic and operational ability to function. Energy security clearly plays an important role in the Alliance’s mission to accomplish its core tasks of deterrence and defence, crisis prevention and management and co-operative security. At the latest NATO summit in Vilnius, energy security was mentioned no fewer than five times in the communiqué.1 As a critical enabler to these core tasks and all military operations, energy is arguably NATO’s most important resource, and it is under strain. As NATO is not an energy institution, its energy security agenda must also constantly adapt to support the core tasks as well as priorities not just of the Alliance, but its members as well. Consequently, this capability gap is an opportunity for Canada to take a leading role in energy security. TOP OF PAGE The Russian Threat and the Weaponization of Energy The global energy landscape shifted following Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Although Russia primarily sees conventional maneuvers as part of the campaign, it has been perpetrating hybrid warfare actions in Ukraine since the 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea, including specifically targeting energy sector resources. This conflict and its corollary weaponization of energy to exert pressure both on Kyiv and NATO members have significantly reshaped the energy landscape in the international community