31 March, 2026
In this sharp analysis, Andrzej Fałkowski challenges the widely held belief that Europe has achieved meaningful energy security. Despite diversification efforts and regulatory reforms, he argues that Europe remains deeply exposed to global market forces and geopolitical shocks—particularly those originating far beyond its borders.
Fałkowski highlights how energy has evolved from an economic concern into a core element of national security, influencing everything from industrial competitiveness to military readiness. Efforts to reduce reliance on Russia have not eliminated vulnerability, but rather shifted it into more complex and less predictable dependencies, including LNG markets and Middle Eastern instability.
The article calls for a fundamental shift in thinking: from efficiency and cost optimization toward resilience, redundancy, and domestic capacity. Energy systems, he argues, must be designed to withstand disruption—much like military infrastructure—through investments in storage, distributed systems, and strategic fuel alternatives such as hydrogen.
Using Poland as a case study, Fałkowski illustrates how frontline states must plan for extreme scenarios, integrating energy planning with defence strategy. His conclusion is stark: Europe’s current approach is less a coherent strategy than a fragile balancing act—one that risks being exposed in the next major crisis.
A Brief Guide to the European Illusion of Energy Security by Andrzej Fałkowski as originally published on defence24.com