Russian Responses to NATO and EU Enlargement and Outreach (Chatham House)

http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Research/Russia%20and%20Eurasia/0612bp_greene.pdf

Russian Responses to NATO and EU

Enlargement and Outreach

James Greene

Russia and Eurasia Programme

| June 2012 | REP RSP BP 2012/02

Royal Institute International Studies



Summary points

1) Post-Soviet Russia's adamant resistance to NATO and EU enlargement and

outreach in its claimed sphere of influence has been driven not only by zerosum

thinking and 'great power' ambitions, but also by the political and economic

imperatives of the Putin system.

2) Under Vladimir Putin, this resistance has evolved away from open opposition to

rely more on indirect efforts to shape Western perceptions and leverage common

interests with Western countries and constituencies. Putin has also used indirect

means to promote reintegration of the post-Soviet space and the development of a

'civilizational' buffer zone to insulate this space from Western influence.

3) This indirect approach has relied on 'influence tools' that include the capture of

local elites through corruption, the use of networks of economic patronage and

dependency, the instrumentalization of cultural identity, and the mobilization of latent

Soviet-nostalgic constituencies and post-Soviet business elites.

4) If the West is to protect its interests and rebuild its influence in Eastern Europe

it must invest more effort in understanding the nature and practical application of

Russia's 'influence tools'. It must also adapt its own 'soft power' toolkit and political

vision to re-establish their relevance to the region's publics and elites.