ABSTRACT
Throughout its history, Russia has always been balancing between being a crucial player in Europe and being at the continent’s periphery. Over twenty years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, this has not changed: the position of Russia in Europe is still pending. In this context Moscow has chosen its own path, increasingly relying on self-administered regional initiatives. Notwithstanding this unclear political position of Russia in Europe, the country undeniably plays a crucial role on the continent. It is still Europe’s major military and nuclear power. Even after the crumbling of the Soviet Union, the newborn Russian Federation is the biggest country in the world, roughly five times bigger than the EU. Benefiting from an underground rich in resources and minerals, it is today an energy giant and major deliverer of gas and oil to the EU. Relations between the EU and Russia are crucial, not only for energy but also for trade and even more importantly for reasons of stability in Eastern Europe. Moreover, Russians form a large minority within the EU, with estimates of 1 to 2 million Russians or Russian speakers. Most of them live in the Baltic states, but considerable numbers can also be found in other member states. The United Kingdom or Cyprus, for example, have sizeable Russian communities.
