Research Papers

The idea of modernization appeared in Russia initially as a domestic goal, but little by little it started to acquire a foreign policy dimension. The significance of this new angle should not be underestimated. The inclusion of “modernization” on the foreign affairs agenda adds legitimacy to Dmitri Medvedev`s project, and compensates for the disappointments of the internal modernization, which so far has not led to any real structural changes. Therefore, the projects like the “Partnership for Modernization” between Russia and the EU must also be interpreted in the domestic political context. The paper will assess the steps made by both Russia and the EU towards the declared goal of modernizing the Russian economy and society, with a view of establishing whether deep structural reform is really on the agenda for both sides. It seems to me that the main obstacle to cooperation in this direction is the difference in understanding of the process of modernisation as such. It is obvious that while for Russia the main idea of this process is achieving technological results, Europe by and large tries to emphasise the normative component as well. Even though the latter is implicit in the Russian discourse, it is nevertheless a secondary element, which is self-evident and does not require any adjustment. For the EU, having a policy on Russia is important in itself, while for the Russian authorities it provides an extra source of legitimacy in an increasingly difficult domestic political situation.