Russia and the Future of European Security

Abstract

The book concludes with a 12th chapter entitled ‘Russia and the Future of European Security’ in which Andrei Tsygankov responds to and builds upon the earlier essays by drawing upon five major themes concerning the factors that have led to the growing impasse between Russia and the West and the prospects for future relations. It is these overlapping themes that tie the volume together:

• 1. Is the Russia-West conflict a new Cold War?

• 2. How likely is a great power war?

• 3. What are the roots of the contemporary Russia-West conflict?

• 4. What are the main causes of the Russia-West conflict?

• 5. Which policy should the West pursue toward Russia?

The chapters that comprise the first section of the book focus on the specific issue of the Russian challenge to the international order, especially in Central and Eastern Europe and post-Soviet space more generally, in the years following the end of the Cold War and the implosion of the former Soviet Union.

As a group the first five chapters in section I of the book all focus on the factors that have contributed to the growing confrontation, at virtually all levels, between the Russian Federation and the West and the means that the former has employed in pushing forward its interests. At the center of the confrontation are two visions of the future of Europe and Eurasia in almost complete opposition to one another and the willingness to date of both sides to push forward these visions.