Cover Osteuropa 5-6/2014

In Osteuropa 5-6/2014

Lessons from the Crisis
Ukraine, Russia, and the European Union

Stefan Meister


Deutsche Fassung

Abstract

Russia’s unlawful annexation of the Crimea, the destabilization of eastern Ukraine, and the propaganda campaign against both the Maidan movement and the “West” have caused a deep crisis in international relations. The estrangement between Russia and the European Union has grown worse. Germany and the EU should use this as an opportunity to correct their misperceptions about the character and interests of the Putin system, readjust their policy towards Ukraine and their eastern neighbors, and define long-term strategic options for developing these countries. This would give Germany and the EU a chance to recover their credibility and capacity for action.

(Osteuropa 5-6/2014, pp. 323–351)