German Ostpolitik Under the Red-Green Coalition and EU-Russian Relations

Abstract

This contribution investigates the evolution of German-Russian relations under the Red-Green Coalition and asks the question whether German Ostpolitik has taken a new direction in the post-Cold War period? Specific attention is paid to the interaction between EU and German bilateral relations with Russia. It is concluded that Germany has utilised the bilateral relationship to pursue its policy of constructive engagement with Russia in a manner that has been problematic given the normative content of EU foreign policy. The long-term impact of this “two-level” game remains unclear though. While Germany could be accused of undermining EU policy on Russia, it could equally be argued that Germany has provided a more pragmatic model for the future of EU-Russian relations.

¹ This article is a revised version of a forthcoming chapter (Timmins “German-Bilateral Relations”).

Notes

¹ This article is a revised version of a forthcoming chapter (Timmins “German-Bilateral Relations”).

²  New York Times 12 Dec. 1998.

³ Timothy Garton Ash makes a similar argument (“Germany's Choices”).

⁴ Vladimir Putin addressing the German Parliament on 25 Sept. 2001. 6 March 2006 <http://www.bundestag.de/parlament/geschichte/gastredner/putin/putin_wort.html>.

⁵ Russian Business Press Agency. “Economic Relations of Russia in 1997–2000”. 18 July 2004 <http://www.bpress.ru/free/er/germany.htm>.

⁶ A mistake that can be less easily explained if it is realised that Vladimir Putin is a fluent speaker of German.

⁷  Die Zeit 5 Apr. 2001. The article has since been reproduced on the German governmental website. <http://www.bundesregierung.de/interview,-35312/Bundeskanzler-Schroeder-Deutsc.htm>.

⁸ V. Putin, speech to German Parliament in Berlin on 25 Sept. 2001. <http://www.bundestag.de/blickpkt/2001/putin_wort.html>.

⁹ Vladimir Putin Die Zeit,10 Apr. 2002.

¹⁰  Moscow Times 16 Oct. 2003.

¹¹  Der Spiegel 12 July 2004.

¹²  Guardian 16 Oct. 2003.

¹³  Ibid.

¹⁴ European Commission, “Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on Relations with Russia, COM 2004(106)”. 9 Feb. 2004. <http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/russia/russia_docs/com04_106_en.pdf>.

¹⁵ Deutscher Bundestag, Stenografischer Bericht, 75. Sitzung, Berlin: Donnersatg, den 13 Nov. 2003 (Plenarprotokoll 15/75) 6447.

¹⁶  Stern Magazin 7 Oct. 2004.

¹⁷  Süddeutsche Zeitung 1 Oct. 2004.

¹⁸  Financial Times 16 July 2005.

¹⁹  Financial Times 16 July 2005.

²⁰ See “G8 Opening Sets Tone for New Chapter in EU-Russian Relations”, EUObserver. 16 July 2006 <http://euobserver.com/9/22099/?rk=1G8 summit>.