In a speech before NATO leaders Monday evening, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton argued that stable energy infrastructure should be treated as a security goal as the alliance reformulates its overall strategy.

"The spirit of collective defense must also include nontraditional threats," Clinton said in her speech. She added, "Energy security is a particularly pressing priority. Countries vulnerable to energy cut-offs face not only economic consequences but strategic risks as well. And I welcome the recent establishment of the U.S.-EU Energy Council, and we are determined to support Europe in its efforts to diversify its energy supplies."

This echoes policy language in other recent department analyses like the Quadrennial Defense Review, which devotes four pages to climate and energy thanks in part to urging by Clinton. The newly created Quadrennial Homeland Security Review also cites energy infrastructure and reliable sources of oil as key security concerns.

While those policy documents highlight the security risk of relying on oil imports from foreign countries like Middle Eastern nations, Clinton's remarks referencing "energy cutoffs" were aimed at Russian oil conglomerate Gazprom. In recent years Gazprom has threatened to stop the flow of gas reserves to NATO allies Belarus and Ukraine in order to exert price increases.

According to Damon Wilson, vice president and director of the International Security Program at the Atlantic Council, which hosted the event focusing on NATO transformation, rival countries are turning to "ambiguous tactics" like energy manipulation as opposed to threatening armed attacks.

"Secretary Clinton's remarks reflect the reality that Russia has used and remains able and willing to use energy as a weapon, or at least a tool of political manipulation and intimidation," said Wilson. "Given the ties between Gazprom and the Russian government, Gazprom's actions reflect Russian policy.... The alliance does have a responsibility to consider how to work among its members and with the EU and other partners to mitigate the strategic vulnerability of NATO allies."

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