Failed transformation
The EU, Turkey and Russia
Sabine Fischer, Günter Seufert
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Russia and Turkey are the European Union’s most important neighbours. For a long time, the EU pursued the goal of promoting change in the politics, economies and societies of Turkey and Russia. The aim was to help turn the states into stable democracies and competitive market economies that were integrated into the global market and positively disposed towards the EU. Turkey was given the status of an accession candidate, while Russia was regarded as a ‘strategic partner’. The goal of achieving domestic policy reforms and a foreign policy rapprochement with the EU has failed. This is due to domestic policy developments in Russia and Turkey and regional events, as well as errors in EU policy.
(Osteuropa 10-12/2018, pp. 271–290)