EU-Russian relations: evolution and theoretical assessment. ZEI Discussion Paper C204, 2011

Unal., Dervis Fikret (2011) EU-Russian relations: evolution and theoretical assessment. ZEI Discussion Paper C204, 2011. [Discussion Paper]

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Abstract

Since the beginning of the new millennium, various initiatives have been taken to promote EU-Russian relations. In this context, a triangle centered around the capitals of Berlin, Paris and Moscow may be of particular interest as a driving force for the evolution of EU-Russian relations. The initiatives have also been criticized for going too far in accommodating Russian interests while neglecting the interests of other EU-partners. The first triangle meeting of this kind took place in 2003 with German Chancellor Schröder, French President Chirac and Russian President Putin airing criticism of the US war in Iraq. This meeting was criticized on both sides of the Atlantic. It was followed by further triangle meetings in 2004 and 2006. Leadership changes in all three countries, the fallout of the Russo-Georgian war in 2008 and Western critique on growing authoritarianism in Russia have put further activities on hold. All the more surprising was a new meeting of the Berlin-Paris-Moscow triangle in October 2010, attended by German Chancellor Merkel, French President Sarkozy and Russian President Medvedev in the run-up to the NATO-Russia Council meeting in November 2010. Against the backdrop of these recent developments, I will argue that the evolutionary process of EU-Russian relations has incorporated the different conclusions made by three scholars who have different theoretical perceptions. Because of this, the ongoing developments should be evaluated using an academic approach to understand them more broadly from a critical and objective position. Thus, the literature review was also made in conjunction with the core argument of the paper. In the main text of the paper, attention was given to three articles concerning EU- Russian relations. In accordance with their theoretical framework, their contexts were analysed. The articles present different descriptive narrations of EU-Russian relations as a result of their theoretical differences on the issue. Hence, the three articles give different viewpoints on the same subject. However, the final analysis of this article and its conclusion are made through a general assessment of the three articles. Instead of criticising their theoretical context preferences, the consistency between the current developments in the relations and the theoretical claims of the three articles is questioned. So, this paper provides an opportunity to comprehend the current direction of EU-Russian relations on the basis of different schools of thought.

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