Location: The Heritage Foundation's Lehrman Auditorium

Russian energy policy took on a new dimension in January when the natural gas supplied to Ukraine was suddenly cut-off over a longstanding contract dispute between the two countries. Though the flow of gas would eventually be restored, the episode highlighted the new found clout Moscow enjoys with not only its immediate neighbors, but also the whole of Western Europe. In the days of the Soviet Union, it was Moscow's military strength that the world came to fear. 15 years after the end of the cold war, a new economic weapon has emerged in the Russian arsenal - oil and gas.

This panel discussion, highlighting The Russia Foreign Energy Policy Report Series that is being currently published in London, will establish the confluence of Russian foreign policy with the acquisition of foreign energy assets by Russian entities. The series focuses on nine specific country profiles in such areas as oil, gas, electricity, and nuclear power industries. Each report written by an author of international standing, explains how Russian foreign energy downstream mergers and acquisitions are transpiring to consolidate the newly acquired Russian influence. Join us on March 2nd as we examine the implications of Russian energy policy, including energy asset acquisitions in countries such as Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine, and Bulgaria.