EU-Russia Relations and the Shared Neighbourhood : An Overview

This study summarises the current situation in relations between the European Union and Russia. It shows, that despite the difficulties in the EU-Russia relationship, engagement, and even partial convergence, reached within the four Common Spaces signals acceptance by Russia of the need to implement standards of governance directed towards sustainable development, social stability and prosperity - elements which form the basis of security in the broader sense promoted by the EU across its Eastern borders through the Eastern Partnership. The study points out, that the key drivers of the relationship are, for Brussels, securing binding Russian commitments on energy, trade and security, particularly through the new EU-Russia agreement; and for Russia, securing Europe’s contribution to the modernisation programme and achieving the goal of a visafree travel regime. The study analyzes Moscow's position towards the Eastern Partnership too. It provides recommendations, how the EU should coordinate crisis response decision-making with Moscow and how the EU could align its policy on the Eastern Partnership with its Russia policy, as the two sides share an interest in regional stability; It analysis how the EU approach to the issue of resource nationalism and seek political solutions to Russian concerns over security of supply should be re-evaluated.