Securitizing Much? A Comparative Analysis of How the EU and NATO Differ in Their Institutional Securitization of Energy Security (2022-2024)
Global ConflictsVital National InterestsBy Dimitar Dimitrov Atanasov, 13 January, 2026
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Energy security has been a priority on the European Union’s (EU) agenda for the last decade. However, the significance of this issue escalated in the early 2000s following the accession of former Eastern Bloc countries to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which coincided with increased Alliance attention on energy security as a strategic concern. The onset of the war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, marked a period of heightened energy security uncertainty in Europe, bringing the issue to the forefront of both EU and NATO institutional discourse.
This study employs Securitization Theory to explore the research question: How do the European Union and NATO differ in their institutional securitization of energy security during the period 2022-2024? Drawing on qualitative discourse analysis, it examines official institutional documents, statements, and strategic communications issued by both organizations.
The analysis shows that energy security was framed as a security concern by both organizations throughout the period under review, although it was articulated in distinct ways, reflecting each organization’s institutional context and mandate. By comparatively analyzing those discursive practices, the article contributes to the literature on securitization and international organizations by highlighting variation in how energy security is framed during periods of crisis.