For nearly three years, Europe has avoided a major energy crisis by relying on efficiency measures, reduced demand and vast amounts of capital flowing toward subsidies, renewables and non-renewable energy deployment. Increased domestic production of renewable energy has advanced the region’s energy transition efforts and provided energy security benefits. However, Europe’s continued reliance on access to fossil fuels, particularly natural gas, could provide Russia an opening into the region’s energy market. While Russia has previously been willing to use natural gas for geopolitical benefits, their closer ties with China, including in energy, could become geopolitically problematic.