Paper Titles & Abstracts

The Russian commitment to push forward the develop of an increasingly integrated Eurasian Union has the potential to alter the dynamics of EU-Russian interaction. On the one hand, the Eurasian Union may be interpreted as the type of the regional integration scheme that the EU generally has supported in other regions of the world. On the other, it could make EU-Russia relations more complex by interjecting an additional level of coordination into the relationship. Furthermore, it may intensify competition for influence in neighbouring (non-EU Member) countries. This paper examines EU and Member State reactions to the Russian initiative and considers the way in which this development may affect the EU-Russian relationship. The author will also consider how the EU may need to adapt its approach to Russia if the Euasian Union and economic integration in the post-Soviet space gain momentum.