The Ukrainian crisis and the Europe-Russia security area ; La crise ukrainienne et l'espace sécuritaire Europe-Russie

Abstract

This article envisages the Ukrainian crisis as the result of a twofold fundamental process, based on the discontinuation of the Euro-Atlantic security mechanisms inherited from the Froide War and on the chronic inability of Russians and Europeans to build a common security area. Since the second half of the 20th century, security in Europe has been based not only on strong transatlantic solidarity, but also on a set of mechanisms and treaties which have been challenged over the last two decades. The enlargement of the European Union and NATO has been hampered by Russia's determination to de facto preserve an area of influence in shared spaces, in particular in the Black Sea. The article concludes on the possibility for Russia and Europe to resume discussions through the establishment of a multilateral dialogue between Brussels and the Eurasian Economic Union. ; International audience This article argues that the Ukrainian crisis appears as the result of a dual in-depth process of weakening Euro-Atlantic security mechanisms inherited from the Cold War on the one hand, and from the deep inability of the Russians and the Europeans to build a common security space. Security in Europe has been relying since the second half of the 20th century not only on a deep transatlantic solidarity, but also on a set of mechanisms and treaties which have been jeopardized during the two past decades. The EU and NATO enlargement have furthermore conflicted with Russia's resoluteness to ensure a de facto sphere of influence in the shared spaces, in particular in the Black Sea. The paper suggests as a conclusion that Russia and Europe could lay down new discussions in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union ; This article envisages the Ukrainian crisis as the result of a twofold fundamental process, based on the discontinuation of the Euro-Atlantic security mechanisms inherited from the Froide War and on the chronic inability of Russians and Europeans to build a common security area. Since the second half of the 20th century, ...