A Less than Special Relationship: The UK’s Russia Experience

This article examines the UK's post-Cold War relations with Russia, arguing that three factors have defined the relationship: the mix of a values and interests approach; leadership; and external pressures. These have resulted in the emergence of three distinct phases, each underpinned by the same objectives but with different ideas on how to achieve them. The effects of the UK's special relationship with the USA are also examined, concluding that the UK's transatlantic orientation had the positive benefit for the EU of insulating it from the worst effects of a troubled bilateral relationship, showing bilateralism does not always signal trouble for multilateral arrangements.