Stability through Evolution
Policy towards Russia between Confrontation and Cooperation
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
The policy of détente between the West and the Soviet Union contains no lessons for dealing with today’s Russia. The situation is different. The West has eroded, the United States has discredited itself, cooperation in armaments projects, such as missile defence, is maligned. Russia is no longer a reliable partner for Europe. Instead, the leadership in Moscow is content with its attitude of demonstrative isolation. In the long run, this will not work. It is necessary to find a course between emotional confrontation and unconditional cooperation. The first step would be a search for areas in politics, industry and commerce, and technology where standards are compatible. Compatibility does not mean identity. And compatibility also includes unambiguous criticism of repression and violations of international legal norms. Silence entails complicity.
(Osteuropa 8/2013, pp. 115–159)