Change behaviour, forge trust
Moscow, Peace and Security in Europe
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Russia has destroyed trust. The annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine has exacerbated the sense of threat among its neighbour states. Some German peace research circles recommend, that in order to forge trust in Europe, the EU should declare that it will forego inviting Ukraine to become a member. This is the wrong approach. Such a stance would create a negative precedent. Other states in Eastern Europe would interpret it as offering a right of veto to Russia, and as evidence that a “Concert of Europe” is again taking place beyond their sphere of influence. This cannot be in the interest of Germany or the EU. A cooperative security policy with Russia may never be pursued at a cost to other states. A precondition for the revival of trust is a change in policy by Russia.
(Osteuropa 3-4/2017, pp. 97–101)