Robert M. Cutler earned his doctorate at The University of Michigan after receiving two Bachelor's degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After over a dozen years in leading universities in Canada, France, Russia, Switzerland and the United States, he expanded into policy analysis and consulting as an Energy Security and Geo-economics Specialist. He has over 25 years' experience in international energy diplomacy: advising energy firms, governments, international institutions and NGOs; framing policy and research issues and leading teams to address them, and producing briefings and analytical bulletins. He has published scores of refereed academic articles, policy articles and book chapters. He Practitioner Member at the University of Waterloo's Institute for Complexity and Innovation (WICI) and Senior Fellow at Strategy International. He is a past fellow of the Canadian International Council and Canadian Global Affairs Institute, and was for many years a senior researcher at Carleton University's Institute for European, Russian and European Studies. He is fluent in English, French and Russian. He can be reached at rmc@alum.mit.edu and posts to X from @RobertMCutler.
Map of Southern Gas Corridor
Energy Security

Italy Anchors Azerbaijan’s Gas Push to Europe

Azerbaijan and Italy are tightening energy ties, and this is having system-wide Euro-Caspian effects. In September, it was reported that SOCAR agreed to acquire Italiana Petroli, one of Italy’s largest fuel retailers, pending approvals. This purchase does not add gas capacity on day one, but it does insert Azerbaijan directly into Italy’s downstream market, bringing Read More…

Energy Security

Using NATO Partnership to Strengthen Strategic Autonomy for Azerbaijan and Central Asia in Rare-Earth Mining and Supply Chain

Robert M. Cutler, Director of the Energy Security Program, is represented NAOC at the Academic Conference on the 30th Anniversary Of Azerbaijan’s Joining NATO’s Partnership For Peace Programme, being held in Baku on 26–27 November 2024. This is an advance copy of his invited remarks. Executive Summary: NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program can expand Read More…

Energy Security

A Trans-Balkan Pipeline Is the Next Project for EU’s Accelerated Energy Cooperation with Azerbaijan

Other than Norway, Azerbaijan is amongst the most plausible sources for increased European imports of natural gas in the near future. Therefore, it is little surprise that on April 25, its President Ilham Aliyev attended the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic (SOCAR) with the Read More…