Most European leaders are disappointed with it
Divides within the European Union over dealing with Russia
Union countries are unable to deal with Russia because of the conflict of interests.
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Persistent divisions within the European Union over how to deal with Russia prevent a coherent strategy on the Kremlin in favor of Russian President Vladimir Putin, although most Europeans are disappointed with Russia, said Judy Dempsey, a scholar at Carnegie Europe.
Dempsey, in a report published by the Carnegie Europe Center website, used the opinions of a number of researchers and analysts to confirm her point of view. Countries in southern Europe, such as Spain, are beginning to fully realize the true nature of Moscow and its goals, and that the challenge now is not to diagnose the matter, but what to do about it, and how.
Claudine adds that the area in which the European Union can make a difference, and where its values and security interests are being challenged, is the countries in its east, which the Kremlin considers its “vital area of interest.” These are the countries that should become strategic partners, when they begin to transform Democratic, and the Crimea region should not be forgotten.
Claudine says that as long as the political character of the Russian system remains unchanged, it is difficult to have an opportunity for real dialogue, but only an opportunity for talks and negotiations.
Senior fellow at the Carnegie Europe Center, Thomas de Waal, thinks no one in Europe has any illusions about how dangerous Russia under Vladimir Putin can be: the poisonings in the UK, the seizure of Crimea, or Moscow's support for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
The recent threat to liquidate Memorial, the country's oldest human rights organization, is frustrating.
But de Waal makes clear that Russia is not North Korea, and it must be dealt with, whether on arms control, gas supplies, or managing the cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
There are many aspects of Russian foreign policy, some of which are easier to deal with than others.
"Besieged Castle"
More importantly, the Russian regime thrives on the idea that it is a "besieged fortress", and thus Western hostility only reinforces this belief in the regime.
What is required is not a tougher or softer policy toward Russia, but a smarter policy, much of it under the surface.
Any deterrent policy for Russia must start at home, by targeting Russia's money laundering, real estate purchase, and long-tolerated illicit financial activity.
Martin Ehl, senior foreign policy analyst at the Czech newspaper Hospodarske Novini, says that one of the signs of divisions in Europe is that countries such as Germany are increasing their dependence on Russian gas in accordance with their energy policy.
There are also some politicians who now believe that they can reach an agreement with the Russian president, but Putin is playing a different game on a track that he, not the Europeans, determine.
Ehl adds that, as history has revealed many times, the European Union plays its role by its own rules that are not respected outside its borders, not only for Russia, but also for China and the United States.
There is a need for the European Union to get up and running so that it can exercise global power politics - and avoid being manipulated.
As for the consultant at the French Strategic Research Foundation, Francis Heisbourg, he believes that Russia's goals are ambiguous.
At least since Russian President Putin's speech at the Munich Security Conference in February 2007, Moscow made clear its dissatisfaction with the post-Cold War security system in Europe, and expressed its desire to change it.
Putin relies on what Moscow sees as a war waged by the West against Russian interests.
Heisburg added that the repeated Russian statements in this regard were clear.
Hence, Moscow's actions in Georgia, Ukraine, and others, not to mention the acts of sabotage on the territory of the European Union and targeted assassinations, which included the use of chemical weapons, are a natural extension of the Russian position.
Heisburg called for the need to clearly assume the bad intentions of Russia, which must be faced with a coherent position of forces on the part of the European countries, whether it is from the European Union, or from the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), or from both.
He says that what is happening is the opposite, as Europe is behaving as if there are good intentions until proven otherwise, and over time this may encourage Russia to take risks that it would have avoided otherwise, and this is a dangerous situation.
He added that EU leaders did not absorb the positive lessons of the successful integration of deterrence and detente during the Cold War.
• European Union leaders did not understand the positive lessons of the successful integration of deterrence and conciliation during the Cold War.
• The area in which the European Union can make a difference, and where its values and security interests are being challenged, are the countries to its east, which the Kremlin considers its "vital area of interest."
• Russia is not North Korea, and it must be dealt with, whether on arms control, gas supplies, or managing the ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan. There are many aspects of Russian foreign policy, some of which are easier to deal with than others.
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