Russia & EU Foreign Policy

Description

How durable is a unified European Union foreign policy toward Russia? Economic factors tell a mixed story regarding bloc cohesion and Russian influence. Dependence on Russian energy varies. Hungary imports virtually all its energy from Russia while Poland has pledged to wean itself off it. NordStream I and II have expanded German dependence on Russian hydrocarbons while removing Poland as an intermediary and weakening German-Polish relations. Popularity of security support for EU members on the eastern frontier varies. Many southern Europeans believe migration to take precedence over the EU eastern frontier as a security issue. Westerners accuse Russia of encouraging fragmentation in the EU in Russian support for rightwing parties. Out of this diversity in priorities come signs of unity. In December 2019, the EU announced a six-month extension of Russian sanctions. The variety in the web of relations among European countries and Russia makes EU sanctions against the Eurasian power surprising. This paper analyzes the paradoxes of relations between Russia and the EU and their evolution since the Crimea invasion of 2014 and asks if EU institutions and an overriding focus on European unity or structural factors help explain relations with one of Europe's most important and volatile neighbors.

Period	20 Nov 2020
Event title	International Studies Association Midwest Annual Conference 2020
Event type	Conference
Location	St. Louis, United States, MissouriShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International