ABSTRACT

In 2002 Russian, American, and European elites claimed to have agreed upon the goal of reuniting Russia with the West.1 They also understood that realizing that goal would oblige the West to make Russia a full partner within the EuroAtlantic world and duly take its interests into account.2 Yet today that concord has been dashed and trends point in the other direction. Partnership is as far away as ever. Neither is this merely a matter of Russian estrangement from America. In fact, mutual EU-Russian skepticism and tension on economic, political and military issues is pervasive and probably growing.3 Russia has visibly renounced the strategic course towards integration proclaimed by President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov in 2001-02. And it long ago deviated from an evolution toward democracy that was hoped for fi fteen years ago.