Russia, the EU, and the Eastern Partnership

Even before the Ukrainian crisis, neither Russia nor the EU was content with their relationship. Despite economic interdependence, strategic partnership, official declarations of belonging culturally and historically to the same "European family" and in spite of Russia’s stated interest in establishing an economic community stretching from Lisbon to Vladivostok, the two actors found it difficult to agree on important issues. The conflicted atmosphere between the EU and Russia has three main dime