Dan Smith is Director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Helen Clark is a former prime minister of New Zealand and former administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. Margot Wallström is a former Swedish minister for foreign affairs and former European commissioner for environment.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shaken many long-held Western assumptions about the foundations of peace in Europe. Among other things, it has renewed policymakers’ focus on energy dependence as a key strategic issue.
The United States recently announced an immediate ban on imports of Russian oil and gas, while the United Kingdom and the European Union pledged to curb them more gradually. The rationale is clear: punish Russia, reduce its leverage, and restore peace to Ukraine. But wrong choices now – specifically, continuing to favor fossil fuels over renewable energy – could lock in a far less peaceful future.