EU-Russia: common spaces over mutual distrust

For the firsttime at top-level Strategic Partnership was defined as a goal by Vladimir Putin in his speech at Bundestag in 2001. The framework ofthe four common spaces realized this idea. These spaces are: the common economic space, the common space of freedom, securityand justice, the common space of external security, and the common space of research, education and culture. The Moscow Summit inMay 2005 adopted Road Maps to act as the short and medium-term instruments for the implementation of the four Common Spaces.This mechanism was sharply criticized both in Moscow and Brussels. For today EU-Russia relations reach a phase of ambiguity anddistrust. They are characterized by asymmetry, overdependence and geographical extension of crossing interests. The four commonspaces concept faces vocal distrust of policy-makers and experts. In the eyes of Europe Russia becomes a more and more authoritarian,unpredictable and obstinate co-partner. In fact, the EU, not Russia, invented common spaces and it is just an action plan of the EUNeighborhood Policy. Yet at the same time there are positive results. Trade and economic relations intensify rapidly. Real concept ofthe internal security common space has not been worked out. That is why one can see selective cooperation. Implementation of thecommon space of external security depends on the political-military integration of the EU, developing of the transatlantic relations andRussian agenda in international affairs. The EU and Russia together significantly contribute to issues of international terrorism andWMD. The Common Space of Research, Education and Culture is the most easy and perspective sphere for cooperation. The fourcommon spaces concept is realized in the format of numerous special dialogues. In spite of the results obtained, a plenty of collisionsand misunderstanding remain. Because of these, problems like economic overdependence, visa-free regime, human rights, and postsovietcountries are unresolved. Actually four Road Maps were adopted in order to compensate the ambiguity of the EU-Russia relations.They became a symbolic mask for the inability of the two partners to define their strategic priorities. If this statement is consideredas the aim of the four common spaces one can say it has been reached. The political vacuum was filled.

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