Europe-Russia Relations: Reciprocity Is Key

Europe-Russia relations are caught in a paradox. From a European perspective, it is
perfectly possible to have ample respect for the artful diplomacy of the Russian Federation and great sympathy for the Russian people, and at the same time worry that the Russian regime is treating Europeans as adversaries. To be convinced that there is little to be gained from conflict, does not mean that conflict is inconceivable. The recent visit by the European High Representative Josep Borrell to Moscow shows that such concerns are increasingly widespread. Indeed, European policy communities are becoming convinced of the notion that they are Russia’s adversary – for the simple reason that Russia treats them as such. In this respect European policies are largely articulated on the basis of a reactive mindset (unlike the more pro-active policies of the US). Against this background, one may wonder what the purpose of is “improving relations”. If the price of improved relations is acquiescence, then improving relations is arguably increasing the risk of conflict yet to come. The question at hand is what Europeans themselves could do to escape this paradox. This essay proposes four hypotheses addressing this question. Unsurprisingly, the overall conclusion is that reciprocity is key.