Current dynamics of energy security in the Eastern Mediterranean

Due to its geographical proximity to the Caucasus and the Middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean Region has been a place where many power struggles and energy conflicts have been experienced on a global and regional scale since the beginning of the 20th century. The geopolitical importance of the region has increased with the discovery of hydrocarbon reserves in the region at the beginning of the 21st century and this situation has led to the formation of a new fragile ground that threatens the security of the countries in the region. The discovery of hydrocarbon reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean causes historical disagreements between riparian countries to re-emerge and international actors pursue policies of interest towards the region, which negatively affects regional security. In addition, the energy reserves discovered in the Eastern Mediterranean cause disputes between the countries of the region on the maritime jurisdiction area, and these disagreements increase the tension between the riparian countries and accelerate the arms race. On the other hand, the policies and strategies of global actors towards the Eastern Mediterranean prevent the development of existing energy resources. In this context, the new dynamics emerging for the discovery and sharing of the region's energy reserves and the possibilities of cooperation and conflict caused by these dynamics are discussed in this study.