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Eastern dimension and the Balkans / Backgrounder

Russia: the G8 summit and beyond

01/07/2006 By Kristina Kausch

2006 marks the first time Russia has held the chairmanship of the G8 group of leading industrialised democracies. Russia also holds the chair of the Council of Europe from May to November.

Many have questioned Russia’s suitability for these positions in light of the well chronicled tightening of democratic space witnessed under president Vladimir Putin.

At the same time, intensified concerns over the security of energy supplies have accorded Russia increased geopolitical influence.The row over gas prices
between Russia and Ukraine in January 2006 ironically marked the beginning of the Russian G8 chairmanship, which lists energy security as one of its top priorities.

Received wisdom has come to assert that European governments have sacrificed (their already modest) criticism of Putin’s authoritarian drift on the altar of a strengthened partnership on energy supplies.

Ahead of the G8 summit to be hosted by Putin in St. Petersburg on July 15-17, this Backgrounder outlines developments in EU-Russian relations and suggests some of the most important policy dilemmas facing European governments in their strategies towards Moscow.

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Keywords

Belarus Caucasus Central Asia and Russia CIS Democratisation Eastern Europe and Russia Energy Security EU Foreign Policy Europe European Union Georgia Human rights Moldova Regional powers Russia Ukraine

Related publications

• Europe and Russia, Beyond Energy
• Moldova, Transnistria and European Democracy Policies
• Survey of European Democracy Promotion Policies 2000-2006

Bio author: Kristina Kausch

Kristina Kausch is a Researcher at FRIDE's Democratisation Programme and focuses on European policies of democracy promotion in the European neighbourhood. Prior to joining FRIDE in November 2004, she worked for the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) on programmes of good governance and democratisation, and at the Bertelsmann Foundation.