Green New Deal Gives Russia and Putin New Power, Prominence

October 13, 2021

Today’s Wall Street Journal highlights once again how the Green New Deal agenda is turning U.S. energy policy into “Russia First” instead of “America First.”

In the oil market, Russia has in recent years increased its influence over the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, despite not being a formal member. In Asia, Moscow has become a significant energy player, starting gas exports to China in 2019 and increasing coal deliveries there this year. Coal plays a major role in powering the Chinese economy.

“The European gas crisis has shown the extreme leverage that Russia has over Europe and beyond,” said Thierry Bros, an energy expert and professor at Sciences Po Paris. “Putin is the only one who could prevent blackouts in Europe because Russia has spare capacity. This is a position of power.”

When the Biden administration and their radical environmentalist allies attempt to roll back U.S. development of reliable energy sources such as natural gas, it strengthens the hands of nations like Russia and China. Europe, which has unwisely accelerated its reliance on energy sources like solar and wind, now finds itself dependent on Russia in order to get through cold winters. Russia’s dominance of the energy marketplace also increases its geopolitical power, as the Wall Street Journal explains:

Russia’s expanding energy influence gives the Kremlin important geopolitical leverage amid worsening relations with the West and a way to challenge Washington’s clout. It also provides Moscow with an important source of revenue to address stagnating living conditions at home.

Yet instead of fighting against Russia’s increased influence, the Biden administration has taken steps to hasten it. President Biden rejected the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have created thousands of American jobs and helped boost domestic energy supplies. Then, Biden waived sanctions on the company overseeing construction of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which will allow Russia to export natural gas directly to Europe.

Pipelines for Russia, but not the United States. This is the “Russia First” energy policy that the Biden administration and environmentalists are championing.