The European Union and Russia

The relationship between the European Union and Russia is of considerable importance to both partners, but whilst there have been many moments of co-operation between the two, tensions have never been far from the surface and the conflict over Ukraine brought it to a historical nadir. Both have taken steps to strengthen their relationship, but diplomatic stagnation and the challenge of furthering common economic, political, social, and environmental objectives have proved increasingly testing to relations over time. This important text provides readers with a systematic and comprehensive overview of the historic and ever-evolving relationship between Russia and the European Union, and on that basis discusses what the future of relations could look like. The EU's policy towards Russia can be regarded as one of the toughest tests of the credibility of its external relations, and in examining the dynamics of the relationship, this book poses essential questions about the EU's ability to sustain itself as a meaningful entity in world politics. Written by two experts in the field, it analyses the political and institutional development of EU-Russia relations from three perspectives: European studies, Russian studies and International Relations, including Foreign Policy Analysis.

1. Introduction: The EU and Russia and the Partnership that Failed 2. The Political and Institutional Development of EU-Russia Relations 3. Actors in EU-Russia Relations 4. Economy, Energy and Environment 5. Justice and Home Affairs 6. Security and Defence 7. Science, Education and Culture 8. The 'Common Neighbourhood' and Regional Cooperation 9. Explaining EU-Russia Relations 10. Conclusions: The Past and the Future of EU-Russia Relations