Estonian Foreign Policy Institute launched its first report “EU-Russia Relations in the New Putin Era: Not Much Light at the End of the Tunnel” by Kristi Raik and Andras Racz. The event took place as a side-event at Lennart Meri Conference on the 2nd of June 2018 in Tallinn.
The report argues that this is not the time for major new initiatives from the EU side. Its priority should be to maintain both its own coherence and pressure on Russia, emphasising that a change of policy is needed on the Russian side as a precondition for improved relations, including the prospects for Russia to benefit from the restoration of full economic ties. Maintaining a consistent approach on security issues, aimed at defending the European security order in the face of Russia’s actions against Ukraine as well as against EU member states, should continue to be at the core of EU policy.
After the introductory remarks, a discussion continued with:
András Rácz, Non-Resident Fellow of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute, ICDS, and Associate Professor at the Pázmány Péter Catholic University
Rein Tammsaar, Director of Policy Planning Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
Sergey Utkin, Head of Department, Centre for Situation Analysis, Russian Academy of Sciences
Brian Whitmore, Senior Fellow and Director of Russia Program, Center for European Policy Analysis
Moderator: Kristi Raik, Director of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute, ICDS
The report can be found here: https://www.icds.ee/publicatio…/article/eu-russia-relations/