Ron Asmus on the Importance of the Black Sea Zone
Prepared by Dominik Bertram
Higher engagement of the EU and the USA in the Black Sea zone could limit European dependence on Russian energy and bring stability to the region, writes Ronald D. Asmus of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. The Atlantic Initiative Advisory Board Member points to recent developments, such as 9/11 and the enlargement of the EU in 2004, which have given the Caspian region and its energy resources new geopolitical importance. Making use of the pro-West sentiment in the region could help NATO and the West to further democracy, as well as lessen Russian influence on its former satellite states. It will take a Euro-Atlantic strategy to tackle these issues successfully.
