Mateusz Kubiak
Mateusz Kubiak is a managing partner at the Warsaw-based Esperis consultancy. He graduated in International Relations with an honors degree in East European Studies from the University of Warsaw. Kubiak is an alumnus of Poland’s National Security Bureau student internship program (Department of Strategic Analyses). He is an experienced analyst in energy markets in the CEE and FSU regions, covering oil and gas, LNG, and hydrogen developments, among others.
Kubiak is also an expert on the South Caucasus. He cooperates with several Polish and foreign media outlets and think tanks. He is also a regular contributor to Jamestown’s Eurasia Daily Monitor. Mr. Kubiak is fluent in English and Russian
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Articles by Mateusz Kubiak
Ukraine Eyes American Technology as Cornerstone of Future Energy Mix
Executive Summary: Ukrainian nuclear company Energoatom and US-based Westinghouse are working on implementing agreements to deploy new AP1000 pressurized water reactors, which have emerged as a key component for the
Balticconnector Leak Highlights Need for Stronger Coordination in Protecting Critical Infrastructure
On October 8, the Balticconnector natural gas underwater pipeline running between Finland and Estonia was shut down due to significant damage on the portion of the pipeline within Finland’s exclusive
Hungary Reiterates Commitment to Nuclear Cooperation with Russia
On September 11, the Hungarian ambassador to Russia, Norbert Konkoly, declared that Budapest remains fully committed to further cooperation with Moscow on nuclear energy (TASS, September 11). Konkoly’s statement was
Russia Eyes Civilian Nuclear Markets in Africa
On July 27 and 28, during the Russia–Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, Russian officials signed a number of intergovernmental memorandums and agreements regarding possible future cooperation in nuclear energy with
Czechia and Poland Eye Cooperation on Natural Gas Infrastructure
In the second half of February 2023, Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela (Gov.pl, February 16) and Prime Minister Petr Fiala visited Poland (Gov.pl, February 22; Zahranicni.hn.cz, February 22).
Russia to Cut Oil Output in March 2023, Suggesting Retaliation for Western Sanctions
On February 10, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced that Russia plans to cut its crude oil production by 500,000 barrels per day in March—that is, by approximately 5
Azerbaijan Set to Become a Green Energy Supplier to the EU
In December 2022, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary and Romania signed an agreement to build a strategic partnership in the field of green energy development and transmission (President.az, December 17, 2022). According
Russia in Search of New Gas Markets
Since the start of the Russian all-out assault on Ukraine on February 24, Gazprom’s natural gas supplies to Europe have been cut by approximately 80 percent (Bruegel.org, November 22). Such
Romania and Azerbaijan Mull New LNG Project on the Black Sea
On October 19, Romania’s Romgaz and Azerbaijan’s Socar inked a memorandum of understanding expressing an intention to “explore the opportunity of jointly developing a liquefied natural gas project [LNG] in
Sabotage of Nord Stream Pipelines and Gazprom Policies Fuel Gas Fears in Europe
At the end of September 2022, four separate leaks were reported on the Nord Stream One and Nord Stream Two pipelines (Svd.se, September 29). Based on preliminary evidence, the damage
Baltic Sea Countries Utilize LNG and Offshore Wind to Secure Energy Independence
On August 30, eight Baltic Sea littoral countries (Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Denmark) signed the so-called Marienborg Declaration, agreeing on the necessity of “phasing out Russian
Despite Return of Nord Stream One Turbines, Europe Still Fears Winter Gas Shortages
On July 9, Canadian Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson announced that his country will return confiscated Nord Stream One turbines to Germany, providing Siemens with a temporary exemption from
Russia Halts Gas Supplies to Poland and Bulgaria: Short-Term Calm, Long-Term Anxieties
On April 27, Russia’s Gazprom completely suspended natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria under long-term contracts that were supposed to be valid through the end of 2022. The move
Baltic States Bet on New LNG Regasification Capacities
On April 19, the Latvian Economy Minister Jānis Vitenbergs announced his government’s decision to support entirely abandoning natural gas supplies from Russia by the end of 2022 (Em.gov.lv, April 19).
Poland Ready to Discontinue All Imports of Russian Energy by End of 2022
On March 29, the Polish government announced that it will unilaterally place an embargo on Russian coal imports within two months (Rzeczpospolita, March 29); and a day later, it declared
Rhetoric Versus Reality: The European Union and Imports of Russian Natural Gas
On March 8, the European Commission announced plans to cut European Union imports of Russian natural gas by two-thirds by the end of 2022 (EurActiv—Polish service, March 9). Last year,
Poland Ready to Quit Russian Gas Supplies
On February 28, Poland’s Minister of Climate and Environment Anna Moskwa declared that the country would be ready to abstain from all Russian natural gas supplies as soon as today,
Hungarian Prime Minister Visits Moscow, Seeking Additional Gas Supplies From Russia
On January 20, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Szijjártó gave an exclusive interview to the state-owned Russian news agency TASS, advocating for long-term agreements for natural gas imports to
Ukraine Signs on to Joint Hydrogen Projects With European Firms
On December 1, Ukrainian state-owned oil and natural gas major NAK Naftogaz joined the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance (ECH2A)—the pan-European industrial coalition promoting clean hydrogen (H2) investments (Naftogaz.com, December 1).
Russia hopes for a U-turn in the EU’s energy policy
On October 6, Vladimir Putin held a publicly broadcasted meeting with Russian oil and gas industry representatives, discussing the skyrocketing global natural gas prices (Kremlin.ru, October 6). As expected, it
Nord Stream Two Construction Completed, but Gas Flows Unlikely in 2021
On September 10, the project company Nord Stream 2 AG informed that the last weld has been finished, making the Nord Stream Two natural gas pipeline fully complete from a
Belarus Struggles to Circumvent Western Sanctions Against Its Oil Industry
On July 29, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka appointed Mikhail Kostechko to serve as the new general director of the country’s main oil products trader, Belorusskaya Neftyanaya Kompaniya (BNK), and ordered
Chasing Success, Poland and Lithuania Mull New Energy Projects
On July 1, Lithuanian Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys paid a visit to Mazeikiai oil refinery (the only refinery in the Baltic States; fully owned by the Polish oil and natural
EU Sectoral Sanctions Put a Heavy Burden on Lukashenka’s Regime
On June 21 and 24, the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada imposed several new sanctions packages against Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s regime. The actions form
Belarusian Oil Industry Suffers From US Sanctions
On May 19, one month will pass since the United States revoked its suspension of sanctions against several Belarusian public companies, mostly from the petrochemical industry (BelTA, April 20; State.gov,
Ukraine Teams up With Qatar in the Gas Sector
On April 5, Ukraine’s acting minister of energy, Yuriy Vitrenko, and his Qatari counterpart, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) on enhancing energy cooperation between the
Gazprom Struggles With Its Mega LNG Project in the Baltic Sea
On March 15, Russia’s leading business news outlet, Kommersant, revealed that Gazprom hit another obstacle in realizing its anticipated mega-project in the Baltic Sea—“Baltic LNG.” According to the article, the
Ukrainian Dependency on Belarusian Fuels in Light of the Belarus Sanctions Debate
As Russia appears to be escalating the war in eastern Ukraine (see EDM, March 11), the debate in the West on possible sanctions against Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s regime goes
Is There a Hydrogen Future for Nord Stream Two?
On February 16, the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual “Russia Conference” with the participation of high-ranking politicians and business executives. The discussion included, among other themes, possible ways
Russians One Step Closer to Taking Over Handling of Belarusian Oil Product Exports?
On January 25, the government of the Russian Federation adopted a draft version of a bilateral agreement with Belarus on the diversion of some Belarusian refined oil product exports from
Belarus Secures Russian Oil and Gas Supplies for 2021
On December 29, 2020, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko stated that Russian energy supplies to Belarus in 2021 will be purchased under “favorable terms,” thus confirming that the months-long negotiations
Despite Construction Work Restart, Nord Stream Two Remains in Limbo
On December 11, project operator Nord Stream 2 AG restarted construction work on the Nord Stream Two natural gas pipeline after an almost year-long break. This development, however, does not
Russia’s Rosneft Again Mulling LNG Exports
On October 22, Rosneft’s CEO, Igor Sechin, revealed some new, previously unpublished details regarding the state-owned Russian petroleum giant’s latest mega-project in the Arctic—Vostok Oil. Specifically, Sechin confirmed that Vostok
Can the Vessel Akademik Cherskiy Finish Nord Stream Two Pipeline Construction?
At the beginning of October 2020, the Akademik Cherskiy—the only Russian pipe-laying ship capable of completing the construction of the Nord Stream Two natural gas pipeline—began its sea trials following
Will Russia Take Over Belarusian Oil Product Transshipment?
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak announced, on September 7, that Russia and Belarus are negotiating conditions for shifting Belarusian oil product exports from the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda to Russian
Another Gas Spat Between Belarus and Russia Underway
On July 21, the Russian privately owned news agency Interfax reported that Belarus’s natural gas debt to Russia has risen, since May, from $165 million (as was disclosed then by
Ukraine to Decide Whether to Buy US LNG
On May 27, the Ukrainian government preliminarily approved the text of a memorandum on the prospects for importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States. The document must still