Glimmer Publishing Europe and Russia: Visions & Strategies: An Analysis of the Political Relations and Communications Between the European Union and Russia

The purpose of my study is to analyse the political relations between the European Union and Russia in the period from 1990 to 2001. This period was very interesting and dynamic in international relations that's why I choose it. Since the end of the Cold War, all actors have encountered the need to revise their foreign policy priorities and security threat perceptions in accordance with new parameters. Both Europe and Russia have faced new realities and new challenges. While European Community was transforming into European Union and remaining a key organization in Europe in terms of stability, efficiency, dynamism and integration. The economic integration, political partnership, as well as social, legal and culturel cooperation gave momentum. The end of Soviet system has brought the fore the centuries old debate about the Russia’s relations with the Europe. Europe has a strong interest that a stable, democratically oriented and prosperous Russia overcome its isolation during communist times. So the European Union has consistently tried to encourage the creation of more favourable conditions in Russia. I try to explain why the European Union has not become fully coherent and effective force international affairs vis-a vis Russia. I firstly attempt to give a brief historical background in part one. The evolution of the legal, institutional, political and economic relations between the European Union and Russia after the Cold War period are taken up in part two. I analyse the main issues in the European Union and Russia political relations in part three. Some of them which are regarded as important in my study are: problematic Russian foreign policy towards the former Soviet periphery including its special relationship with the Baltic States and Commonwealth of Independent States; Northern Dimension and its effects on the relations with special emphasis on Kaliningrad and soft security challenges diverging and converging interests of the EU and Russia in the Caucasus and Central Asia especially concerning the great game on energy politics, the implication of the EU enlargement in general on EU-Russia relations and ongoing debate over NATO enlargement. Lastly, I give some future perspectives and conclusions within the context of the research.