Written by Marcin Grajewski

Used under license from Shutterstock.com.
Relations between the European Union and Russia are at their worst since the end of the Cold War, mainly due to Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and support for rebels in eastern Ukraine. Most think tanks analysing EU-Russia relations and the situation in Eastern Europe are deeply worried about security in Europe and the potential economic impact of the crisis. They largely agree that hopes to establish a strategic partnership between the EU and Russia have faded. The conflict in Ukraine is seen as taking relations back to the Cold War era, posing the threat of a financial crisis in Russia and exacerbating the economic situation in the EU.
A selection of commentaries and analyses by major international think tanks, together with related publications, are listed below, with hyperlinks to the texts concerned:
Commentaries by think tanks
Russia’s war in Ukraine: Is Minsk the end, or just the start?
Centre for European Reform (CER), February 13, 2015
From a Munich in Moscow to a Munich in Minsk: How Europe has come to Putin’s aid
Institute of Modern Russia, February 13, 2015
Minsk II: Will it meet a better fate than Minsk I? Brookings Institution, February 12, 2015
Does Putin live in another world? EU-Russia Centre, February 11, 2015
At Munich, a renewed Cold War atmosphere German Marshall Fund, February 11, 2015
European security after Ukraine Carnegie Europe, February 10, 2015
What would it take to restore peace in Europe? Carnegie Europe, February 11, 2015
U.S. armament of Ukraine is an enormous risk Brookings Institution, February 10, 2015
The Dialogue of the deaf between the West and Russia Carnegie Europe, February 7, 2015
Time is not on his side Atlantic Council, December 21, 2014
The greatest challenge to U.S.-European security cooperation today: the Ukraine crisis
Rand Corporation, December 9, 2014
Analyses by think tanks
It’s not just Russia: Currency crisis in the Commonwealth of Independent States
Bruegel, February 9, 2015
EU sanctions policy towards Russia: The sanctioner-sanctionee’s Game of Thrones
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), January 30, 2015
Les conséquences du schisme russo-occidental
Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI), January 30, 2015
The menace of unreality: How the Kremlin weaponizes information, culture and money
Institute of Modern Russia, January, 2015
The die is cast: Confronting Russian aggression in Eastern Europe Atlantic Council, December 23, 2014
The new European disorder European Council on Foreign Relations, November 20, 2014
Dangerous Brinkmanship: close military encounters between Russia and the West in 2014
European Leadership Network, November, 2014
Protecting the European choice European Council on Foreign Relations, July 28, 2014
Can Europe survive without Russian gas? Bruegel, March 21, 2014
Related think-tank publications
European Millennials are cool toward Russia, but warmer than older generations
Pew Research Centre, February 11, 2015
Ukraine’s future hanging in the balance Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), February 9, 2015
Brookings Institution, February, 2015
The EU and its Neighbours: Predictions for 2015 Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), January 5, 2015
Revisiting Energy Security in Turbulent Times Madariaga, January, 2015
Frontiers New and Old: Russia’s Policy in Central Asia
Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI), January, 2015
Triangular geopolitics in Europe’s eastern neighbourhood
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), December 2, 2014
Beyond Russia’s ‘Versailles syndrome’ Egmont, November 24, 2015
Whose is Russia’s external debt? Bruegel, October 8, 2014
Fatal attraction? Russia’s soft power in its neighbourhood FRIDE, May, 2014
Other material
Statement by President Donald Tusk after the informal meeting of heads of state or government
Minsk peace agreement: still to be consolidated on the ground. EPRS briefing
Who wants to arm Ukraine? EPRS briefing
[…] ECB announced its plans for unconventional monetary policy measures. Other topics have included: EU-Russia relations, migration, anti-terrorist policies, and major EU anti-trust […]
Another article which puts all the blame on Putin without any consideration of how the EU and NATO in particular mishandled the relationship with Russia. the West took advantage of a weak Russia and in particular a weak Yeltsin. listen to what Gorbachov is telling us and who would ever have believed that Russia would have accepted to have their fleet based in a NATO ally to whom we keep on saying that the door is open to the EU and to NATO. What sort of democracy is that?? Who pays Porochenko to be so belligerent? Putin had to act and now we all feel terribly sorry. Time for a wake up call for our politicians and in particular NATO.
…I don’t know why eu is publishing every day > 4 tons of paper – nota bene with so called facts which are read by your employees… no one else… what a waste of paper, resources and you are even paid for that… why don’t you go and do something more useful???