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Institute of Central Europe/Artykuły według: Michał Paszkowski

Autor: Michał Paszkowski

IEŚ Commentaries 1729
26 October 2026
Michał Paszkowski

Europe’s Approach to Natural Gas Supplies from Russia

European countries have been reducing their purchases of Russian natural gas since Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine. However, the pace of this process has varied. In the first nine months of 2026, European Union member states imported approximately 11% more Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) than in the same period of the previous year, despite the announced ban...

More: Europe’s Approach to Natural Gas Supplies from Russia
IEŚ Commentaries 1697
10 September 2026
Michał Paszkowski

Low Natural Gas Storage Levels in Europe Ahead of the Winter Season

In early September 2026, the European natural gas market entered the final phase of the storage injection season with inventories significantly below the levels recorded in previous years. On 1 September, natural gas storage facilities in the European Union were at 65.4% of capacity, compared with 77.7% the previous year and 92.4% two years earlier. This means that Europe is...

More: Low Natural Gas Storage Levels in Europe Ahead of the Winter Season
IEŚ Commentaries 1693
3 September 2026
Michał Paszkowski

U.S. Sanctions and the Insolvency Proceedings of Romania’s Petrotel Refinery

Romania’s Petrotel refinery, owned by the Russian energy company Lukoil, entered into insolvency proceedings at the end of August 2026. The decision of the Ploiești Tribunal, which has jurisdiction over Prahova County, followed nearly a year of inactivity at the facility after Lukoil was placed under U.S. sanctions in the autumn of 2025. State supervision over the assets as...

More: U.S. Sanctions and the Insolvency Proceedings of Romania’s Petrotel Refinery
IEŚ Commentaries 1689
28 August 2026
Bartłomiej Krzysztan | Michał Paszkowski

The Middle Corridor perspective: opportunities and challenges

After 2022, political momentum behind the development of the Middle Corridor gained pace. While it is a project with considerable potential in transport, economic and energy terms, its actual expansion and competitiveness are dependent on a multitude of challenges and risks. In the energy sphere, the corridor’s importance lies primarily in diversifying supply routes for...

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IEŚ Commentaries 1679
11 August 2026
Michał Paszkowski

Operation of refineries in Central Europe during a period of low water levels on the Danube

Low water levels on the Danube have caused logistical disruptions to fuel transportation in Central and South-Eastern Europe. Reduced barge loading capacity has forced some deliveries to be redirected to rail and road transport, increasing both costs and pressure on inventory levels. Despite these difficulties, the main refineries located along the Danube continue to operate...

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IEŚ Commentaries 1674
3 August 2026
Michał Paszkowski

Impact of Low Water Levels in the Danube on Electricity Generation in Europe

At the end of July 2026, record-low water levels in the Danube, combined with heatwaves and drought, constrained the operation of power plants in Central and South-Eastern Europe. The crisis demonstrated that even stable energy sources, including nuclear power plants, are vulnerable to the effects of extreme weather events and limited availability of water used for cooling. Within...

More: Impact of Low Water Levels in the Danube on Electricity Generation in Europe
IEŚ Commentaries 1669
23 July 2026
Michał Paszkowski

The Neptun Deep Project and the Changing Architecture of the Natural Gas Market in South-Eastern Europe

Neptun Deep is one of the most important energy projects currently under development in the European part of the Black Sea. Its launch, planned for 2027, could significantly alter Romania’s position in the natural gas market. The project, implemented by OMV Petrom and Romgaz, is expected to increase domestic production, strengthen Romania’s energy security, and create new...

More: The Neptun Deep Project and the Changing Architecture of the Natural Gas Market in South-Eastern Europe
IEŚ Commentaries 1656
8 July 2026
Michał Paszkowski

Effectiveness of Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s oil and fuel infrastructure

Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s oil and fuel infrastructure are no longer limited to isolated sabotage or military operations; they are now producing measurable economic and organisational effects. A series of attacks on refineries, fuel depots, transhipment terminals, and elements of transmission infrastructure have led to reduced operations at some facilities, disruptions in...

More: Effectiveness of Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s oil and fuel infrastructure
IEŚ Commentaries 1652
2 July 2026
Michał Paszkowski

European Union Sanctions on Russian Natural Gas Supplies in the Context of the Security of Central European Countries

The entry into force of successive EU restrictions on imports of Russian natural gas is intended to complete the process of phasing out supplies from Russia and to permanently reshape the structure of the European market for this commodity. The REPowerEU regulation, adopted in early 2026, provides for a gradual phase-out of imports: from a ban on concluding new contracts, through...

More: European Union Sanctions on Russian Natural Gas Supplies in the Context of the Security of Central European Countries
IEŚ Commentaries 1632
2 June 2026
Michał Paszkowski

Czechia’s Efforts to Strengthen National Fuel Security

In recent years, Czechia’s oil sector has come under significant geopolitical and infrastructure-related pressure, prompting the government to take steps to strengthen national fuel security. These measures have focused on phasing out Russian crude oil, diversifying supply sources, expanding transmission infrastructure, and increasing the role of the state in stock management...

More: Czechia’s Efforts to Strengthen National Fuel Security
IEŚ Commentaries 1620
19 May 2026
Michał Paszkowski

Reconfiguring Gas Security in Southern Europe

In recent years, the architecture of energy security in the countries of Southern Europe has undergone a significant transformation, driven by supply shocks and shifts in the international environment. A region that for decades depended heavily on energy supplies from Russia is now playing an increasingly important role as a transit and balancing area for new natural gas flows...

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IEŚ Commentaries 1615
13 May 2026
Michał Paszkowski | Andrzej Szabaciuk | Jędrzej Jander

Ukrainian Strikes on Targets Deep Inside the Territory of the Russian Federation

In the ongoing war, Russia has consistently targeted Ukraine’s energy sector. In response—and as part of a strategy aimed at reducing the aggressor’s financial revenues from energy exports—Ukraine has increasingly shifted its kinetic operations towards Russian energy infrastructure, including refineries, crude oil terminals, transhipment facilities, and pipelines. In the...

More: Ukrainian Strikes on Targets Deep Inside the Territory of the Russian Federation
IEŚ Commentaries 1605
1 May 2026
Michał Paszkowski

Ukraine’s Nuclear Sector 40 Years After the Chernobyl Disaster

Four decades after the Chernobyl disaster, it is evident that Ukraine’s nuclear sector has undergone a lasting shift toward risk management; rather than expansion, the priorities have become safety, reliability, and system resilience. The ongoing war has further tested this model, exposing the critical dependence of stable electricity generation on the power grid, as well as the...

More: Ukraine’s Nuclear Sector 40 Years After the Chernobyl Disaster
IEŚ Commentaries 1598
23 April 2026
Michał Paszkowski

Rebuilding Natural Gas Storage Levels in Central Europe under Challenging Geopolitical Conditions

The replenishment of natural gas stocks in Europe during 2026 is taking place amid heightened uncertainty, driven by simultaneous disruptions to the availability of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The low post‑winter storage fill level (around 29%) amplifies the scale of the challenge, while adverse price signals reduce the incentive for...

More: Rebuilding Natural Gas Storage Levels in Central Europe under Challenging Geopolitical Conditions
IEŚ Commentaries 1594
20 April 2026
Michał Paszkowski

The TISZA Party’s Victory and the Potential Shift in Hungary’s Energy Policy

A victory for the TISZA party (Tisztelet és Szabadság Párt) in Hungary’s 2026 parliamentary elections could trigger an adjustment to the country’s energy policy, which in recent years has been grounded in dependence on supplies of Russian commodities (crude oil and natural gas) and in nuclear cooperation under the Paks II project. The scope and pace of any changes, however,...

More: The TISZA Party’s Victory and the Potential Shift in Hungary’s Energy Policy
IEŚ Commentaries 1571
25 March 2026
Michał Paszkowski

The Crisis of Crude Oil Availability in Slovakia and Its Implications for the Regional Fuel Market

In 2026, liquid fuel tourism in Slovakia became one of the key manifestations of mounting tensions in the regional liquid fuel market, stemming from disruption on the crude oil supply side. Relatively low diesel prices – maintained despite the suspension of crude oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline, and the conflict in the Middle East – created strong demand-side...

More: The Crisis of Crude Oil Availability in Slovakia and Its Implications for the Regional Fuel Market
IEŚ Commentaries 1552
10 March 2026
Michał Paszkowski

The Devastated Ukrainian Power Sector and the Growing Dependence on Electricity Imports from the European Union

Ukraine’s power sector is among the most heavily damaged components of the country’s infrastructure as a result of the full-scale war launched in February 2022. A system that only a few years earlier possessed substantial export potential to European Union member states has, over the four years of war, undergone profound technical and structural degradation. Large-scale...

More: The Devastated Ukrainian Power Sector and the Growing Dependence on Electricity Imports from the European Union
IEŚ Commentaries 1544
4 March 2026
Michał Paszkowski | Marlena Gołębiowska

The U.S.–Israel–Iran Conflict and the Energy and Economic Situation of Central European Countries

The armed conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran—encompassing both strikes on targets inside Iran and Iranian retaliatory attacks on energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf—together with the effective suspension of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, has triggered the most severe shock to global energy markets since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in...

More: The U.S.–Israel–Iran Conflict and the Energy and Economic Situation of Central European Countries
IEŚ Commentaries 1533
25 February 2026
Michał Paszkowski

Hungary and Slovakia in the Face of a Disruption to Crude Oil Supplies via the Druzhba Pipeline

The Druzhba pipeline constitutes a critical component of Central Europe’s energy infrastructure, supplying Russian crude oil to refineries in Slovakia and Hungary. Following the suspension of deliveries through the southern branch on 27 January 2026, both countries found themselves facing a serious threat to energy security, as they remain among the last EU member states still...

More: Hungary and Slovakia in the Face of a Disruption to Crude Oil Supplies via the Druzhba Pipeline
IEŚ Commentaries 1523
10 February 2026
Michał Paszkowski

The Price of Security: Moldova’s Electricity Market in 2025

The year 2025 proved to be a breakthrough year for Moldova in terms of energy security, yet it was also exceptionally challenging due to rising electricity prices. Following the suspension of natural gas deliveries to the MGRES power plant (located in Transnistria) via Ukrainian territory – a facility that for many years served as a pillar of the national power system –...

More: The Price of Security: Moldova’s Electricity Market in 2025
IEŚ Commentaries 1513
28 January 2026
Michał Paszkowski

The Central European Natural Gas Market in 2026

The Central European natural gas market will play a crucial role in ensuring the region’s overall energy security in 2026. Following the supply shock triggered by Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, countries in the region have gradually adapted their supply models to the new geopolitical realities. A key element of this transformation has been liquefied natural...

More: The Central European Natural Gas Market in 2026
IEŚ Commentaries 1506
22 January 2026
Michał Paszkowski

Hungarian MOL Takes Over Russian Shares in Serbian Company NIS

The declaration of intent by Gazprom Neft to sell its shares in the Serbian company Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) to the Hungarian firm MOL[1] represents one of the most significant developments in the Central European fuel market in recent years. MOL’s entry in place of the Russian owner is expected to restore the operational continuity of the Pancevo refinery while...

More: Hungarian MOL Takes Over Russian Shares in Serbian Company NIS
IEŚ Commentaries 1362
23 May 2025
Michał Paszkowski

Slovakia and Hungary oppose ban on import of Russian energy resources

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 prompted an unprecedented and multidimensional response from European Union member states, particularly in the field of energy policy. As part of efforts to reduce dependence on energy supplies from the Russian Federation, the European Commission announced the REPowerEU strategy, which sets out the goal of completely phasing out...

More: Slovakia and Hungary oppose ban on import of Russian energy resources
IEŚ Commentaries 1356
16 May 2025
Michał Paszkowski

The Renaissance of Nuclear Technology in Central Europe

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the countries of Central Europe were confronted with an unprecedented challenge of the urgent need to redefine the structure of their electricity supply in a permanent and strategic manner. The region’s prior dependence on energy commodities from the Russian Federation has come to be perceived not merely as an economic...

More: The Renaissance of Nuclear Technology in Central Europe
IEŚ Commentaries 1211
30 September 2024
Michał Paszkowski

Ukraine: limited prospects for Azerbaijan to fill the gap left by Russian natural gas

As of January 1, 2025, the five-year Russian-Ukrainian agreement from 2019 on the transit of Russian natural gas through Ukraine will expire. This will significantly impact the availability and price of natural gas in Europe during the upcoming heating season. While Azerbaijan could potentially help fill the gap left by Russian supplies, the chances of this are limited....

More: Ukraine: limited prospects for Azerbaijan to fill the gap left by Russian natural gas
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