From Spheres of Influence to Energy Wars: Russian Influence in Post-Communist Romania

Abstract

Since the fall of communism and its replacement with a pro-Moscow neo-communist regime in December 1989 the question of Russian influence has been a sensitive matter for most Romanians. Accession to NATO (2004) and the European Union (2007) seemed to distance Romania from the Russian sphere of influence. However, the bitter dispute between President Traian Băsescu and Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu that led to the breakdown in 2007 of Romania's ruling coalition is in part a direct consequence of Russia's new energy-based offensive in Europe. The importance of individual politicians' choices in determining foreign policy remains a key factor in Romania's relations with Russia and with the West, and the Kremlin's new approach likewise has an important impact.