Central and Eastern Europe: An Energy Battleground Between Russia and Germany with Dr. Filip Cernoch

What role does energy play in Russia's current invasion of Ukraine? How does energy fit into the Russian Federation's general ambitions in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond? On Tuesday, March 15 from 12-1 p.m., Dr. Filip Černoch, Visiting Fulbright Scholar at the Irving Institute for Energy and Society and researcher at Masaryk University, Czech Republic, will give an online talk about how Russia's current aggression against Ukraine is the culmination of the Russian Federation's long-standing pressure on countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Dr. Černoch will discuss how energy diplomacy, in which Russia seeks to exploit Europe's increasing dependence on Russian fossil fuels, is an essential tool in this pressure and how, even amidst the bombing of Ukrainian civilians, energy plays a crucial role in how the EU decides to act — or not act — against the Russian Federation. Dr. Roman Sidortsov, Associate Professor of Energy at Michigan Tech, will moderate the Q&A.

About the Speaker: Dr. Filip Černoch is a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the Irving Institute for Energy and Society and researcher at Masaryk University, Czech Republic. His current research focuses on the challenges coal-reliant European countries face in transitioning to lower-carbon fuels. Dr. Černoch taught ENVS 80.5: Energy Policy in the EU during Dartmouth's winter 2022 term. Learn more about Dr. Černoch.

About the Moderator: Roman Sidortsov has a diverse international background as an educator, researcher, consultant, and practicing attorney. He has developed and taught law and policy courses ranging from Renewable Energy and Alternative Fuels to Administrative Law at Vermont Law School, Irkutsk State Academy of Law and Economics in Russia, and Marlboro College Graduate School's MBA in Managing for Sustainability program.