Despite serious problems with extraction, production and depletion (production at three of Russia’s four major fields is already declining), the propensity to use hydrocarbon resources as a geo-strategic weapon trumps economics. And, with the resource boom fueling Russia’s self-proclaimed return to international influence, the Kremlin will continue to exploit its successful strategy of playing one European country off against another, aided by the EU’s lack of a coherent Russia strategy and a common energy policy.