The acceptable fact is that the relationship between the EU and Russia is famously characterized with conflict and cooperation. In a real life situation, conflict may engender cooperation, while cooperation also has the potential to degenerate into conflict. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union heralded the beginning of a new form of relationship between the EU and Russia, on the one hand, and between the United States and Moscow, on the other hand. In this conflict-cooperation paradigm of the EU-Russia relations, trust plays an important role. It is improbable to expect that a robust relationship would exist between Brussels and Moscow in a diplomatic atmosphere characterized with distrust and clash of foreign policy. In this regard, however, Brussels and Moscow seem to possess and pursue policies that are equidistant from each other. While Moscow tends to press for political relevance in Europe, Brussels attempts to confine Moscow to its Eastern borderlines. The article, therefore, describes the not-entirely-new but less-explore dimension of the EU-Russia relations: soft-containment vs. politics of relevance by tracing the process of engagement between the two actors (the EU and Russia) since the collapse of the Soviet Union using a qualitative method of research.
Key words: soft-containment, politics of relevance, post-Soviet space, EU, Russia
Table of Contents
Introduction
Russia and the West
EU-Russia Relations just after the Collapse of the Soviet Union
EU-Russia Relations: Clash of Foreign Policy?
Soft-Containment vs. Politics of Relevance: Epitomizing EU-Russia Relations
The CIS and the EU’s Response
The Eastern Partnership (EaP) and Russia’s Response
The Formation and Transformation of a Regional Military Alliance
From a Military Alliance to an Economic Union
Interdependence vs. Trust
Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This article analyzes the complex dynamics of EU-Russia relations in the post-Cold War era, focusing on the parallel existence of conflict and cooperation. It examines the "soft-containment" strategy employed by the EU toward Moscow and Russia's reciprocal pursuit of "politics of relevance" to maintain its influence in its neighborhood and on the international stage.
- Evolution of EU-Russia relations since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
- Impact of Western integration policies (NATO and EU enlargement) on Russian security perceptions.
- Development of alternative Russian-led regional platforms (CIS, CSTO, Eurasian Economic Union).
- Role of asymmetrical interdependence and the "gulf of trust" in hindering bilateral cooperation.
- Analysis of energy politics and geopolitical sphere-of-influence competition.
Excerpt from the Book
Soft-Containment vs. Politics of Relevance: Epitomizing EU-Russia Relations
In rebalancing the relationship with Russia, the proponents of EU soft-containment policy proposed that the EU should maximize its relationship with Russia and avoid a skewed relationship favorable to Moscow. The soft-containment policy of the EU towards Moscow presupposes the continuation of containment policy of the United States during the Cold War era as impelled by George Kennan’s “long telegram” of 1946 which detailed Soviet foreign policy and proposed the approaches to be followed by the United States in containing the expansionist ideology of the Soviet Union.
While the post-Cold War strategy of the EU entails the development and the use of normative powers in the shared neighborhood, Moscow adopted a range of hard and soft power instruments to exert its influence in the post-Soviet space (Averre, 2009:1690); evident in Russia’s tough construction of relationship with the EU and its members states which adversely affected Moscow’s interest of becoming a partner in Europe (MacFarlance, 2006:54).
The soft-containment strategy of the EU lies in eastward and southward enlargement. Soon after the formal dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the EU began the application of its soft-containment policy in order to avail itself of the new opportunity created by the collapse of the Soviet Union. The opportunity opened to the EU in the years following the dissolution of the Soviet Union also came with great challenges as the reform process, cutting across a spectrum of sectors in the former Soviet states, is pertinent and costly (in terms of monetary value, cultural values, policy, and security threat from the Kremlin). The EU, with the support of the United States, sought to reconfigure Europe through the 2004 enlargement in order to consolidate democracy and stability in Europe. Therefore, Western leaders redrew the map of Europe, and that led to a more peaceful and democratic Europe (Asmus, 2008:95). The EU’s largest enlargement in 2004 did not only lead to a peaceful Europe but also a prosperous Europe because successful economic, social and political transformation of the former Soviet states gave new impetus to EU further integration of the residue of the post-Soviet space.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the historical transition of EU-Russia relations following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the waning of Cold War hostilities.
Russia and the West: Examines Russia's desire for a multipolar world order and its perception of the US and EU as barriers to its influence.
EU-Russia Relations just after the Collapse of the Soviet Union: Discusses the implementation of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) as an attempt to foster democratic transformation in Russia.
EU-Russia Relations: Clash of Foreign Policy?: Explores the failure of early attempts to align Russian foreign policy with Western hegemonic structures.
Soft-Containment vs. Politics of Relevance: Epitomizing EU-Russia Relations: Analyzes the conceptual tug-of-war between EU enlargement strategies and Russia's quest to reclaim its geopolitical relevance.
The CIS and the EU’s Response: Details the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States as Russia's attempt to maintain influence over its satellite states.
The Eastern Partnership (EaP) and Russia’s Response: Reviews the Eastern Partnership initiative as a catalyst for regional tension and its impact on post-Soviet space dynamics.
The Formation and Transformation of a Regional Military Alliance: Investigates the evolution of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) as a response to NATO expansion.
From a Military Alliance to an Economic Union: Highlights the transition toward economic integration through the Eurasian Economic Union to counterbalance Western influence.
Interdependence vs. Trust: Argues that asymmetrical interdependence and a persistent lack of trust are the primary obstacles to a robust EU-Russia partnership.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, emphasizing the need for mutual recognition of interests to move beyond the current "friendly-hostile" deadlock.
Keywords
soft-containment, politics of relevance, post-Soviet space, EU, Russia, Eurasian Economic Union, Cold War, Eastern Partnership, CIS, CSTO, geopolitical influence, foreign policy, energy security, NATO, regional integration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this publication?
The work explores the evolving and often conflict-ridden relationship between the European Union and the Russian Federation since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
What are the central themes discussed in the text?
Key themes include the EU's "soft-containment" policy via enlargement, Russia's quest for relevance, the role of energy politics, and the competition over geopolitical influence in the post-Soviet space.
What is the primary objective of the author?
The author aims to provide a descriptive analysis of the alternative dimension of EU-Russia relations that exists in parallel to their intermittent cooperation, arguing that both sides fail to reconcile their respective strategic agendas.
Which methodology does the research employ?
The article uses a qualitative research method, offering a descriptive analysis of historical and political developments to interpret the current state of EU-Russia relations.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers historical events from 1991 to 2018, including the expansion of the EU and NATO, the formation of the CIS, the launch of the Eastern Partnership, and the creation of Russian-led economic and military institutions like the EAEU and the CSTO.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as soft-containment, politics of relevance, post-Soviet space, Eurasian Economic Union, and regional integration.
How does the author view the EU's Eastern Partnership?
The author suggests that Moscow perceives the Eastern Partnership not merely as an administrative initiative, but as a strategic tool for the EU to carve out spheres of influence and contain Russia.
What role does energy play in the EU-Russia relationship?
Energy is viewed as a major instrument of influence for Russia, with the EU's reliance on Russian gas supplies acting as both a point of economic dependency and a source of political vulnerability.
- Quote paper
- Mr. Sesan Adeolu Odunuga (Author), 2018, Soft-Containment and Politics of Relevance. Conceiving a New Dimension of EU-Russia Relations, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/434946
