Ukraine’s revolution is fueled by international energy politics. The revolution that has engulfed the country resulted mainly from opposition to President Viktor Yanukovich’s decision to develop closer economic relations with Russia. The two countries have a unique relationship as their respective populations share a similar language, ethnicity, history and of course, a national border. However, the two countries share something much more meaningful in today’s global world: complex energy relations.

Russia is currently the world’s second largest exporter of natural gas. A large portion of its hydrocarbons are imported by Western Europe, which is heavily dependent on the pipelines that traverse Ukraine. Governments of Western Europe for years have tried unsuccessfully to lessen their dependence on Russia’s state owned Gazprom. The pipeline infrastructure established in the region is largely a result of Soviet era industrial planning, meaning that the oil and natural gas of countries such as Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan gets shipped directly through Russia when being sent to European customers. Gazprom for its part charges fluctuating transport fees.