Energy Diplomacy in Contemporary World: Less Economy, More Geopolitics. Interview with Stanislav Zhiznin, Russian diplomat, PhD in Economics, Dr. of Science (Economics), Professor of MGIMO-University, President of the Center of Energy Diplomacy and Geopolitics
Stanislav Zakharovich Zhiznin is the founder of energy diplomacy in Russia and in the world, the author of the term “energy diplomacy”, a leading Russian expert on energy policy, diplomacy and international energy security. Prof. Zhiznin published first Russian textbook on energy diplomacy and many monographs on energy diplomacy, in Russian, English, and Chinese [Zhiznin 2005]. S.Z. Zhiznin graduated from the Kharkiv Aviation Institute in 1969 with a degree in electrical engineering, then - from the Diplomatic Academy of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1977 with a degree in international economic relations. In 1998 he defended his Candidate's thesis on the issue “Energy diplomacy of Russia at the turn of the 20th - 21st centuries (foreign economic aspects)”, and in 2001 - his Doctor's dissertation on “Strategic interests of Russia in world energy” and became a Doctor of Science (Economics). He has been working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation since 1977. S. Zhiznin has a Diplomatic Rank of 1st Class Counsellor. Until the end of 2010, he was the chief adviser to the Department of Economic Cooperation of the Russian MFA. S. Zhiznin is currently a professor at the Department of International Dimension of Fuel and Energy Industry named after N.P. Laverov, MGIMO. He contributed to the development of the information materials for the Russian delegation for the meetings of G8 (now G7), OPEC, IEA, Gas Exporting Countries Forum, International Energy Forum, APEC, etc. S.Z. Zhiznin is the President of the Center for Energy Diplomacy and Geopolitics, established in 2003 with the participation of the Union of Oil & Gas Producers of Russia and support of the Russian MFA. In 2011, he became an OSCE expert on energy diplomacy and energy security. The interview presents the formation of energy diplomacy as a science, covers the evolution of the concept of “energy diplomacy”, discusses the energy factor influence on the policies of Russia and other countries, analyses the role of TNCs in shaping the state's energy policy. Energy diplomacy, as S.Z. Zhiznin points out, is a complex symbiosis of economics, geopolitics, and technological sciences; so, research in energy diplomacy is inextricably linked with these sciences. At present, energy diplomacy is being heavily influenced by the technology development, which makes states take into account this factor while forming their energy strategies.