‘Russia is an integral part of the Euro-Atlantic space. The current and future challenges can only be managed with the help of Russia.’ The awareness of this fact affected the whole discussion of this years` Trilateral Conference of the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin. This year numerous experts from Russia, the USA and the European Commission discussed their common political course in world politics.
Experts look into an optimistic future in the light of improving relations between the USA, Russia and EU after the Georgia crisis in 2008. ‘Indeed there has not been a full reset of relations, but there is normalization under the presidents Obama and Medvedev.’
On the conference also distinctions were revealed. There is no consensus on economic and security policy. Russia claims a mulitpolar world order, while the West tries to fix the existing institutions. The Western World and Russia further differ on handling of regional conflicts. The question was debated, how the USA and the EU will develop their relationship towards Russia, if Russia does not become a liberal democracy. The EU and the USA have to find a way of constructing a critical but effective relation without the spirit of the Cold War.
All participants underlined the need of cooperation with Russia, especially in face of a rising China. ‘We need to improve our relations, even if there is domestic political change in our countries. The elections in the USA and Russia 2012 will show whether we can to do this.’