BSR Policy Briefing: The EU-Russia relations and their reflections in the Baltic Sea region – Some recommendations for policy-makers

BSR Policy Briefing: The EU-Russia relations and their reflections in the Baltic Sea region – Some recommendations for policy-makers

By Stanislav L. Tkachenko

Since the early spring 2014 the European Union-Russia relations are in a deep crisis. Re-evaluation of principles and aims of the EU relations with Russia has been done at the level of communitarian structures in Brussels as well as by all EU member states. Multiple Russia’s attempts to destroy unity of the EU countries regarding rejection to recognize integration of Crimea into Russian Federation have failed. EU member states and the Union’s structures see Russia as fighting actor in the bloody conflict in Eastern Ukraine, but Russia ignores these claims. Current stalemate situation requires innovative steps for restoration of dialogue between the two entities. First of all, it is crucially important for the Baltic Sea Region as the only area where the EU and Russia have common land border. Future dialogue should be grounded at principles of mutual rejection of economic and visa sanctions, as well as on confidence-building measures, especially in hard-security issues. New Foreign Policy Concept of Russian Federation, which was adopted on November 30 2016, provides solid political and legal ground for these initiatives.

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From 2013 onwards Centrum Balticum has published BSR Policy Briefing series. Articles of Baltic Sea Region experts dealing with topical and significant issues of the region are published in the series.