Defusing future crises in the shared neighbourhood: Can a clash between the West and Russia be prevented?

Over the last two years relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated to their worst state since the Cold War. Allegations of Russian cyber interference in the 2016 US election cycle in order to help get Donald Trump elected were just the latest indication of how bad things are. It was no exaggeration to say relations were already in a state of profound crisis and notwithstanding uncertainties about how President Trump would approach the entire relationship with President Putin, it was entirely possible that the crisis would soon get worse.

This report asked how the two sides could best prevent that from happening while still defending their interests. It asked what a more effective approach to crisis avoidance and management might look like, especially as this relates to events in the shared neighbourhood in Eastern Europe. By ‘shared neighbourhood’, we understand - in line with the predominant EU typology - six post-Soviet countries situated between the enlarged EU and NATO, and Russia: Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

ELN: Policy Brief, March 2017: Defusing future crises in the shared neighbourhood: Can a clash between the West and Russia be prevented? http://www.europeanleadershipnetwork.org/defusing-future-crises-in-the-shared-neighbourhood-can-a-clash-between-the-west-and-russia-be-prevented_4597.html

ESO: Background information: Handling Russia Should Not Be So Difficult for the West http://www.europeansources.info/record/handling-russia-should-not-be-so-difficult-for-the-west/

ESO: Background information: Russia, the West and Eastern Europe: Lenin's long shadow http://www.europeansources.info/record/russia-the-west-and-eastern-europe-lenins-long-shadow/

ESO: Background information: NATO-Russia Relations in a Post-Truth World http://www.europeansources.info/record/nato-russia-relations-in-a-post-truth-world/

ELN: Publications, 12.04.17: Regional Imperative: Why we need the Syria Deconfliction Agreement http://www.europeanleadershipnetwork.org/regional-imperative-why-we-need-the-syria-deconfliction-agreement_4677.html

ELN: Publications, 11.05.17: A response to 'Defusing future crises in the shared neighbourhood' http://www.europeanleadershipnetwork.org/a-response-to-defusing-future-crises-in-the-shared-neighbourhood_4747.html

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 12.10.17: Eastern and Central Europe’s Strategic Provincialism http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/73372?lang=en

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