This article deals with the importance of natural gas as an energy source in Polish energy policy. Its purpose is to analyze the extent to which natural gas can provide for ensuring state energy security. This article covers issues related to the diagnosis of the gas sector in Poland (the most important economic entities, the functioning of the gas market), its role in the national energy strategy and prospects for future gas use. The article points out that natural gas, although important for maintaining and securing state energy security, is, however, not crucial in this regard. Multiannual strategies envisage diversification of the way of generating energy, which means the opportunity for renewable energy sources (RES) and nuclear energy. Natural gas has a secondary meaning in this context.

Objectives and assumptions of the policy of the Russian Federation towards Belarus in the area of oil and gas

The aim of the article is to analyze the energy policy of the Russian Federation towards Belarus in 2015–2021. The article focuses on the issues of bilateral relations in the sphere of crude oil and natural gas. Russia uses energy tools towards Belarus in order to force it to deepen its political, economic and military integration. Russia also undertook the task of regulating the principles of further energy cooperation with Belarus.

Georgia, deprived of its own hydrocarbon resources, relies exclusively on the import. It has abstained from purchasing those from the Russian Federation for political reasons, which, combined with the lack of LNG terminal infrastructure, has led to the factual monopolization of crude oil and natural gas supplies from Azerbaijan. For geopolitical reasons, Georgia remains the only export route for Azerbaijan for these resources. Easy access to those resources due to its position as a transit state has an impact on the tempo of energy transformation in Georgia. On the one hand, the significantly lower than expected dynamics of the development of renewable energy sources, and on the other hand, the growing role of Azerbaijani national companies in the market of liquid fuels and natural gas in Georgia, are visible consequences of the emergent status quo.