THE EU and RUSSIA
Choose one
1. What are the key domestic sources of Russia’s foreign policy? How do they matter? 2. What is the EU’s role in a recent pattern of growing confrontation and conflict with Russia? Point out key mistakes, miscalculations and failures on the part of the European Union member states. 3. How has the EU’s nature as a composite actor (consisting of numerous memberstates) affected its policy making towards Russia? Have these complexities been ameliorated or remained the same in the last two and a half decades? 4. “Building new inclusive security architecture in Europe (potentially without NATO) is the only real way to change relations between Russia and the European Union on the common continent.” Discuss. 5. What have been the strengths and limitations of EU’s “soft power” when confronted with energy security challenges relating to Russia? 6. What areas in EURussian gas relations have been the most prone to experience difficulties in reaching cooperation? Why? 7. Was Russia’s involvement in Syria a propellant or an impediment for cooperation between Russia and the EU? 8. ‘The war in Ukraine proves that while Russia might have been successful in averting EU influence in the short run, it has lost Ukraine to the West in the long run?’. Discuss. 9. Has Russia’s information warfare in Europe been effective, and if so, what have been the limitations faced by EU members in addressing this challenge?