As I’ve noted before, continuing natural gas shortages from Russian suppliers have caused great fear among the European countries. As these shortages have dragged on, and the risk of geopolitical instability made all the more clear by terrorist attacks on vulnerable energy infrastructure, governments across Europe have given increasing priority to developing a degree of energy security. Before, this had meant strengthening ties with Russia and developing alternative sources of energy; now, it means rapid diversification and resiliency, to Russia’s great geostrategic detriment.

This trend is exemplified by several stories in press today.

The Moscow Times reports that not only are European leaders calling for increased energy security, but some have already begun to act.

World leaders increased calls for reducing Europe’s dependency on gas supplies from Russia on Thursday as freezing temperatures forced cutbacks from Gazprom for the eighth day running and Russia continued to snipe at Ukraine, a vital transit country.

As political and business leaders gathered in Davos for the World Economic Forum, Poland’s prime minister and U.S. billionaire George Soros said the recent disruptions in gas supply meant Europe should find alternate sources.

Soros called Russia’s recent standoffs with Ukraine and Georgia over prices “a wake-up call for Europe” as Russia used its might to gain leverage over its neighbors, while Polish Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz said his country wanted to diversify supplies.

“Trust is measured on practice and the practice we have seen in January of this year was not promising,” Marcinkiewicz told reporters in Davos, Reuters reported. He said his country was now considering building a liquefied natural gas, or LNG, plant.

Hungary and Croatia followed suit. At a joint session of both countries’ Cabinets in Budapest they vowed to reduce their dependency on Russia, and their prime ministers signed a deal Thursday for a new LNG terminal on the Adriatic coast.

“We want to do everything possible to become independent in terms of energy supplies,” said Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader.

Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that Georgia has signed a natural gas deal with Iran (interestingly enough, this may work to Russia’s advantage as it will complicate relations between Tbilisi and Washington).

The government of Georgia said Friday that it had entered into a deal with Iran to purchase natural gas, potentially easing a heat and electricity shortage that has chilled Georgia’s people and slowed its economy for a week.

Details of the arrangement, which could send Iranian gas through Azerbaijan to Georgia as soon as Sunday, were limited. Georgian officials declined to discuss the price for the new supply or whether transit fees would be paid to Azerbaijan.

Instead, they said it was a temporary agreement that diversified Georgia’s sources of energy and would help end the crisis that began on Sunday when saboteurs destroyed gas pipelines and an electric power line that brought energy to the Caucasus nation. The anticipated Iranian supply of gas, two million cubic meters a day, would provide slightly less than half of Georgia’s needs.

Finally, the Financial Times reports that the gas shortages have given impetus to European efforts to forge a common strategic energy policy.

The French and British defence ministries are exploring a common approach to energy security which some officials say could form a blueprint for a common European policy.

Although the talks are still informal and at an early stage, the urgency of the efforts has been thrown into sharp relief by the recent dispute between Russia and Ukraine over gas prices, as well as record high oil prices.

The crisis has revived the debate over whether Europe needs a common energy policy to address its growing dependence on imports.

Christophe-Alexandre Paillard, of the strategic affairs directorate in France’s Defence Ministry, said the two countries were trying to develop “as common an approach to energy as possible, in the realms of defence and the economy”.

These strategic developments are a stark reminder that Russia’s geopolitical energy leverage is a limited and nonpermanent commodity. To be sure, these countries will continue to rely on Russia for energy, and Russia will continue to hold significant leverage over them. Nevertheless, this leverage is not overwhelming, and abusing it will cost Moscow dearly. The best policy for Russia to follow right now is to rebuild its credibility as a reliable energy supplier. That means constructing more and more secure energy infrastructure, improving the dismal state of its energy sector, and not making significant use of its energy leverage for the time being. Otherwise, Moscow could quickly see its stick over Europe melt away.