Abstract: The recent discoveries of hydrocarbon resources in the Eastern Mediterranean not only opens a great deal of opportunity for closer regional cooperation by providing channels of  communication but also holds much potential to complicate further the region’s conflict-prone geopolitical architecture. However, the latest developments have proved that realism is the only game in the town and guides the regional countries in their nationally controversial issues, i.e. energy, maritime borders, exclusive economic zones. The Eastern Mediterranean countries have, so far, preferred forming their policies in accordance with the zero-sum-game principles at the expense of the achievements with their near or far neighbors. Therefore, the competing interests, rival claims and distrust among the regional countries would highly be expected to jeopardize the potentially conciliatory role of natural gas as opposed to the role of coal and steel in triggering European integration in the 1950s. Keywords: Eastern Mediterranean, natural gas, energy security, European Union, Russia

Abstract: The recent discoveries of hydrocarbon resources in the Eastern Mediterranean not only opens a great deal of opportunity for closer regional cooperation by providing channels of  communication but also holds much potential to complicate further the region’s conflict-prone geopolitical architecture. However, the latest developments have proved that realism is the only game in the town and guides the regional countries in their nationally controversial issues, i.e. energy, maritime borders, exclusive economic zones. The Eastern Mediterranean countries have, so far, preferred forming their policies in accordance with the zero-sum-game principles at the expense of the achievements with their near or far neighbors. Therefore, the competing interests, rival claims and distrust among the regional countries would highly be expected to jeopardize the potentially conciliatory role of natural gas as opposed to the role of coal and steel in triggering European integration in the 1950s. Keywords: Eastern Mediterranean, natural gas, energy security, European Union, Russia