Russia and the European Union
Subtitle: the sources and limits of "special relationships"
By: Cynthia A. Roberts.
Contributors: Army War College (U.S.). Strategic Studies Institute.
Series: The U.S. and Russia : regional security issues and interests
Publisher: Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College
Published: 2007
Place of publication: [Carlisle Barracks, PA]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 133
ISBN-13: 9781584872788
Subjects: European Union -- Russia (Federation); European Union -- Membership.; Russia (Federation) -- Foreign relations.; Russia (Federation) -- Politics and government -- 1991-
Description: Russia and the West have avoided renewed confrontation despite many post Cold War crises, but illiberal trends in Russia rule out any prospect of developing a mutual agenda for closer integration. Russian engagement with the leading Euro-Atlantic institutions on a special, but still subordinate, nonmember basis remains a clever yet suboptimal substitute. Such relationships, as this monograph about Russia and the European Union explains, tend to produce shallow collaboration, symbolic summitry and costly standoffs. Closer cooperation is blocked by an ongoing dispute over terms, which is rooted in asymmetries in power, ambivalent preferences, uncertainty about the distributional costs and benefits of deeper engagement, and Russia's continued unwillingness or inability to lock-in the liberal domestic structures necessary to make credible commitments. Moscow's renewed self-confidence and geopolitical ambitions, bolstered by sustained economic growth and high energy prices, complicate the bargaining and further strain these special relationships which persist for lack of a realistic, superior alternative.
Notes: "February 2007."

Includes bibliographical references (p. 108-133).

Electronic version also available on the SSI website.
Table of contents: title: The roots of special relationships: bargaining problems; title: Partial integration vs. full integration; title: International and domestic incentives to reform: the successful European integration model; title: Prospects for anchoring post-Communist neighbors outside the EU; title: The framework of relations: building a special relationship in lieu of Russia's membership in EU; title: Russia's approach to partnership: underlying commitment problems; title: Russia-EU partnership under Putin: tactical success and strategic stalemate; title: The long and winding road to nebulous common spaces; title: Economic asymmetries and energy interdependence; title: Mutual ambivalence about the Europeanization and integration of Russia; title: Russia's multi-vector strategy and the mixes appeal of "Euro-east"; title: Integration with the West: an idea whose time keeps coming; title: Conclusions.