Journal of International Studies

More than any other European state, Germany is responsible for developing and implementing the European Union’s (EU’s) policy toward Russia. Berlin needs to accept this responsibility, assume leadership, and develop a Russia policy fit for the twenty-first century. To succeed, Germans need to closely watch the evolution of the economic, social, and political situation in Russia and adapt their policy as necessary. The next several years in Russia will be interesting, and the next two decades will be decisive for the country’s development. Recommendations for Germany Base the new policy on German and EU interests, principles, and practical needs as well as a realistic assessment of Russia rather than mere impressions of what the Russian people need or a desire to influence the country’s domestic politics.    Broaden people-to-people contacts with ordinary Russians to create social compatibility between Russia and the rest of Europe.   Demand, when necessary, that ...

An Interview for the Valdai International Discussion Club

Written by  Charles Grant , with  Clara Marina O'Donnell ,  Hugo Brady ,  John Springford ,  Philip Whyte ,  Stephen Tindale , Katinka Barysch, David Buchan,  10 October 2013 The CER proposes reforming the EU’s policies and institutions, to foster a more dynamic European economy and to make decision-making more accountable. View  press release .   Download PDF See more on this item - See more at: http://www.cer.org.uk/publications/archive/report/2013/how-build-modern-european-union#sthash.PFlirsZB.dpuf

Two decades after the Cold War removed the Damocles' sword of mutually-assured destruction in a sea of nuclear fire from over our heads, and, in the words of George P. Shultz, William J. Perry, Henry A. Kissinger and Sam Nunn, " made the doctrine of mutual Soviet-American deterrence obsolete ", the Russian decision to update, modernize and upgrade its nuclear forces is seen as a worrisome harbinger of a new era of strategic competition between Moscow and Washington. But Russian president Vladimir Putin is simply carrying out a 2012 election  promise : "We should not tempt anyone by allowing ourselves to be weak. We will, under no circumstances, surrender our strategic deterrent capability. Indeed, we will strengthen it." Russia has signed a series of arms-control treaties with the United States that place strict limits on both the number of nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles, but both Moscow and Washington contend that arms limitations accords do not pr...

The Vilnius summit is a chance for the EU to define a more effective Eastern strategy. Yet many European governments seem unsure about what being “strategic” actually means.

PARIS - US Secretary of State, John Kerry has famously stated the US "is not blind" or "stupid" in its push to clinch a historic deal over the Iranian nuclear program. [1] So now that the world has been informed, he must, cryptically, have been talking about France. The failed Geneva negotiations this past weekend over a temporary nuclear deal at least carried the merit of revealing who is really blocking it: the axis of fear and loathing composed by the Likudniks in Israel, the House of Saud, and the Francois Hollande administration in France.  Torrents of bytes have already detailed how Israel routinely hijacks US foreign policy. Here's yet one more graphic demonstration of how Wag the Dog works. Last Friday evening, President Barack Obama called Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu asking him not to derail Geneva. Bibi then duly picked up the phone and called, in succession, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ge...

A number of recent comments, by more or less high-ranking Russian officials, on Ukraine’s immanent inclusion into the European unification process has led to a Russian-Ukrainian war of words, with some Moscow commentators reacting ever more hysterically. The Russian President Putin’s official advisor on economic integration, Sergei Glazyev, said recently that Kyiv’s signature under the Association Agreement with the European Union will be “economic suicide,” a “surrender of sovereignty,” and a “violation of the Russian-Ukrainian Friendship Treaty on which the entire foundation of our relations is built.” Russia is seemingly preparing a whole battery of “reactive” measures concerning both its exports to Ukraine, above all in the energy sphere, and its imports from Ukraine, in a number of sensitive trade areas. Large sections of the Ukrainian economy are de facto dependent on Russia. This concerns both the availability of Russian markets to Ukrainian producers, and the delivery of R...

The European Union (EU) is approaching a major milestone in its relations with Ukraine. Next month, the most valuable state in eastern Europe that remains a non-member will have the opportunity to expand its relations with the West by signing an Association Agreement with the EU. Once signed, the agreement will provide a new framework for EU-Ukrainian relations, deepening trade relations and requiring Kyiv to partly adopt EU legislation. Although it is too early to speak of EU membership for Ukraine, the agreement would be landmark achievement. Not since the 1990s when the decision was made to include the ex-communist countries of central Europe has such a critical moment presented itself for EU expansionists. But will the signing of the Association Agreement actually take place? Although Eurocrats might not want to admit it, Ukraine’s current closeness with the West is not the result of the country’s sudden belief in the importance of democracy, fair play and the rule of law. ...