ABSTRACT
Tensions between Russia and the West have currently reached such a point that the atmosphere of another version of the Cold War has been created in Europe. After the demise of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, one could have argued that even if differences between the West and Russia would continue to exist, the overall situation will remain under political control. The reasons for these differences would be rooted in the history of Russia–European relations, the enormous size and resources of Russia vis-`a-vis Europe that creates a strategic imbalance, the schism between Russia’s Orthodox Church and Western Christianity, the conflicting views about the post-Cold War security architecture in Europe, Russia’s role in it, and the role of US-led NATO and the like. And yet, the confrontation was no longer of a global nature and one side had become decisively weaker. Therefore the situation, one hoped would be tension-free. But this hope has been belied for several reasons.
