Eastern Europe

The Russian political and economic system is shaped by informal rules and personal ties and driven by corruption as an integral part of the system rather than an exception. What kind of strategies have Russian elites developed to export these rules to the European Union and how do they influence politics in former post-Soviet countries like Ukraine? Is Russia successful in influencing Western policies and public opinion through informal networks and the media?

While political and public concerns about the reliability of Russian gas supplies have been driving the debate about the EU’s energy security for several years, the conflict in Ukraine and the European Commission’s proposal to establish an energy union have furthered it significantly. In order to discuss the latest developments, the DGAP and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom invited a panel of experts to assess the EU’s current energy security prospects.

Fighting in Eastern Ukraine in recent weeks has put the international spotlight back on the bloody conflict. At the same time, potential resolution to the confrontation between Russia and the West is hindered by the potential upgrade of Russian nuclear forces and the deployment of additional NATO troops in Eastern Europe. What effect will these roadblocks have on the implementation of the Minsk agreements? How can the transatlantic allies support Ukraine in its reform efforts and help safeguard its sovereignty? Will Western sanctions pressure Russia into using its leverage in the region to resolve the conflict?

Ausgelöst durch Schwankungen im globalen Öl- und Gasmarkt und den Ukrainekonflikt zwingen die Turbulenzen auf dem europäischen Energiemarkt die politischen und wirtschaftlichen Akteure zu neuen Kooperationsformaten. Aus diesem Grund veranstaltete der Valdai Discussion Club eine Konferenz in Kooperation mit der DGAP, auf welcher ein neues Modell der Energiesicherheit für Europa und Eurasien und eine neue russische Energiestrategie für Europa diskutiert wurden.

Werden wir nach dem nunmehr zweiten Abkommen von Minsk eine Neuauflage der weitgehend wirkungslosen Vereinbarungen vom September 2014 erleben? Welche Optionen bleiben, wenn der Konflikt erneut eskaliert? Wie können Medien und Zivilgesellschaft zur Deeskalation beitragen? Diese Fragen standen im Mittelpunkt des jüngsten Runden Tisches zu den deutsch-ukrainischen Beziehungen.