The reception in Moscow to U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul during his first few months on the job has been unusual, if not downright hostile, a lot more Cold War than Russian Reset.

Beijing bests Manila in a naval standoff, worrying its neighbors.

Russia, the Ukraine, and the European Union all have work to do in finding a long-term solution to Europe's energy needs.

While most of Europe--from Italy and France to Bulgaria and Slovakia--gets at least some of its gas from Russia, there still is not a true, unified European Unionenergy policy.

The Kremlin's involvement in Libya is nothing more than hollow swaggering. If the Obama administration is seriously relying on the Kremlin's "good offices" to help secure a favorable outcome, then its lack of strategy in Libya is clearer than ever.

Unconventional gas could free the European Union from dependence on Russian gas supplies.

It is in the interests of former Soviet states to liberalize their economies and move away from energy-intensive industries in which they hold no comparative advantage.

In last two years the matter of European energy security has become of utmost importance for the United States and its allies.