The Ukraine crisis has accelerated the EU's decoupling from Russian energy, leading to a sustained decline in its dependence. Russia is thus compelled to urgently open up new export markets and consumption regions for its natural gas, to carve out space and potential for reintegrating into the global energy landscape. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the realignment of Russia's natural gas strategy. It examines Russia's three-pronged strategic realignment: the "eastward market expansion" targeting China, "southward regional expansion" into Central and West Asia, and "northward capacity expansion" in the Arctic—to reconfigure its gas development map and serve as a powerful lever for its energy diplomacy. Accordingly, the paper proposes key focus areas for Chinese energy companies in Russia. It advises them to seize this window, properly recognizing energy cooperation as the cornerstone of China-Russia economic and trade ties, actively engage in the integrated development of Russia's gas industry chain, and adopt diverse methods to secure long-term, stable gas supplies. Furthermore, it underscores the necessity of comprehensive risk management throughout the cooperation process, taking proactive measures to address multiple risks including those of a geopolitical and sanctions-related nature, thereby contributing to China's energy security and import diversification.
Ma et al. (2025) studied this question.