Russian President Vladimir Putin (C) speaks during a news conference as German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso listen at the Russia-EU summit in the Volszhsky Utyos resort near Samara May 18, 2007. Russian and European Union leaders met in a summit on Friday which will starkly underline that their ambitions for an ever-closer strategic partnership have stalled.
Photo: Reuters
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Russia Has Split Europe, Won Influence
The European Council on Foreign Relations, ECFR, has released ‘A Power Audit of EU-Russia Relations’ report, claiming Russia won the initiative in relations with united Europe because the European nations are unable to agree on their positions.
The lack of agreed policy of Europe’s states in respect of Russia, the ECFR report says, enables the latter to strength influence on each of them, using the economic, first of all the energy levers, and playing the Kosovo card.
According to ECFR executive chief Mark Leonard, Russia is the most powerful factor from the time of Donald Rumsfeld and the war in Iraq that has divided Europe. But if Europe eventually agrees on common policy towards Russia, it will win back the initiative, as Europe is more powerful in terms of economy.
Nowadays, however, there are two approaches to Russia in Europe. The first one recognizes the threat posed by it and advocates soft deterrence. Under the second approach, Russia is a potential partner that should be integrated into the European system.
In general, the ECFR analysts singled out five groups in terms of the attitude to Russia. Greece and Cyprus are called the Trojan horses, as they back up Russia more often then others. The second group includes Germany, France, Italy and Spain. These states are building strategic partnership with Russia despite the principles of common policy of the EU. Austria, Belgium, Finland, Slovakia, Portugal and five more states are the friendly pragmatists, while the Czech Republic, Latvia, Denmark, Sweden and Britain are the frosty pragmatists and Poland and Lithuania are the new Cold-warriors.
www.kommersant.com
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