The threat of militarization of the security environment at EU’s eastern borders

This paper addresses the current security concerns besetting the European Union with regard to Russia, in particular the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and the Russian-Belarus military exercises Zapad and Ladoga in 2009, and considers some of the implications of these 'threats' for the EU's partnership relations with Russia. It also compares the present strength of the Russian military forces with Russia’s great power rhetoric and comes to the conclusion that the threat perceptions, which exist on both sides, are irrational. The paper concludes with the suggestion to the EU countries to hold joint exercises with Russia on missile defence to defuse tensions and to build trust.