Membership or Partnership: The Relations of Russia and Its Neighbours with NATO and the EU in the Enlargement Context (Medlemskap Eller Partnerskap: Rysslands ocdh dess Grannar Relationer Med Nato och EU i Utvidgningarnas Ljus)

摘要

Russia's relations with NATO have developed under Putin mainly in the name of fighting terrorism despite NATO enlargement to the Baltic states. There are strong obstacles to membership, eg Russia's great power ambitions and democratic deficit. Also Russia's relations with the EU have strengthened through trade and several agreements, but the prospect of EU membership is even slimmer due to EU standards, the present antidemocratic trend in Russia and the brutal war in Chechnya. A growing divergence of values can be observed. Belarus has worse relations with NATO and the EU than Russia because of Lukashenko's dictatorship, anti- Western policy and the unreformed economy. Its extreme dependence on Russia makes it susceptible to Russian integration efforts, but Lukashenko's wish to retain his power retards the process. Ukraine, by contrast, is a more suitable candidate for NATO and EU membership, chiefly because this is its proclaimed goal. However, NATO membership is unlikely as long as NATO's relations with Russia are good.