One can identify but a few topics within the realm of EU-Russia relations in which both parties find congruent interests. Two of these are environmental protection and climate policy. Moscow and Brussels are committed to the Paris Agreement. Further more, the bilateral political relationship between Germany and Russia has returned to a position of cooperation – the result of the June signing of the energy efficiency partnership agreement by ministers of economic development Peter Altmaier and Maxim Oreshkin.
Concerning businesses, this cooperation has never fallen asleep: EU companies are localizing their wind energy technologies in Russia, they are helping to separate waste and process associated petroleum gas in products of use. Research projects have been started to separate carbon from hydrogen based on natural gas. In the meantime, Russia supplying gas to Europe helps to become a little more environmentally friendly as the German market is still heavily dependent on coal in energy generation. In both Western and Eastern Europe, there are innovative “green” technologies that need sales markets, applications and financing.
