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Russian-European Relations in the Balkans and Black Sea Region -- Acknowledgement -- Contents -- List of Figures -- 1 Russian-European Relations: An "Unexpected" Crisis -- Notes -- 2 Greatness, Identity, and Method -- 2.1 Great Power: Material and Ideational Dimensions -- 2.2 Constructivism and Two Conceptualisations of Identity -- 2.3 Representational Identity and Discourse Analysis: Some Dilemmas -- 2.4 My Eclectic Analytical Approach -- 2.5 An Anthropology of National Identity -- 2.6 Method and Outline -- Notes -- 3 Writing Russianness, Greatness and Europe in the 1960s -- 3.1 Holy Grail and Promised Land: The Balkans and the Black Sea in Russian Identity -- 3.1.1 The Black Sea and the Balkans as a Holy Grail of Russia -- 3.1.2 The Promised Land: Eternal North-to-South Movement -- 3.2 Russian Selves and European Others: Relational Identity Construction -- 3.2.1 Russia's Triple Self and Triple Gap Between Soviet Adult and Soviet Youth -- 3.2.2 Multiple European Others -- 3.3 Conclusions -- Notes -- 4 Writing Russianess, Greatness, Europe, and the Balkans in the Late Soviet Discourse in 1980s -- 4.1 The Black Sea-Balkans Nexus in the Late Soviet Discourse -- 4.2 Relational Identity Construction -- 4.3 Reading the EU Through the Web of Other -- 4.4 USSR-Yugoslavia-Europe -- 4.5 Self-sacrifice and Great Power Practices -- 4.6 Conclusions -- Notes -- 5 Russian-European Security Interaction and the Idea of Great Powerhood Between 1991-1999 -- 5.1 New Soviet Russian Greatness vs. New Western Russia (1991-1993) -- 5.2 New Western Russia's Greatness and the Balkans -- 5.3 True Europe and Policy Options in the Balkans and the Black Sea Region -- 5.3.1 Russia and True Europe in the Black Sea Region -- 5.4 Civilising Europe in the Balkans -- 5.5 True Europe: Kosovo Crisis and the Evolution of the EU -- 5.6 Conclusions -- Notes

This book provides a detailed analysis of Russia's 'great power identity' and the role of Europe in forming this identity. 'Great power identity' implies an expansionist foreign policy, and yet this does not explain all the complexities of the Russian state. For instance, it cannot explain why Russia decided to take over Crimea, but provided only limited support to break-away regions in Eastern Ukraine. Moreover, if Russia is in geo-economic competition with Europe, why has no serious conflict erupted between Moscow and other post-Soviet states which developed closer ties with the EU? Finally, why does Putin maintain relationships with the European countries that imposed tough economic sanctions on Russia? Vsevolod Samokhvalov provides a more nuanced understanding of Russia's great power identity by drawing on his experience in regional diplomacy and research and applying a constructivist methodology. The book will appeal to students and scholars of international relations, in particular Russian-European relations, Russian foreign policy and Russian studies.

Abstract
Since 2012 and with Putin's return to the presidency, Russian politics underwent a process of securitization of domestic politics. This laid the groundwork for the crisis in European-Russian relations that culminated in the 'Ukraine crisis' from late 2013. This article will trace the domestic determinants of Russian foreign policy choices and narratives since 2012 that help explain the political deadlock between 'the West' and Russia over the European Union's 'Eastern Partnership'. It will thereby also analyze the effects for the Russian perception of agency between the US and the EU as well as path dependencies that European Union sanctions have created. Not only Russia's relationship with the West is at stake in this stand-off. The 'Ukraine crisis' has developed into a fundamental systemic crisis of the Putinite regime. Only if Putin's 'social contract', which had guaranteed economic well-being in exchange for political inactivity, was to be eroded by sanctions imposed on Russia, the 'civilizational' narrative of Russian exclusivity would be endangered. A new social contract will be a generational task and will have to take stock of the nexus between internal determinants and identitarian foreign policy choices. It will also be the first step in recalibrating European-Russia relations.

The Russia-Europe relationship is deteriorating, signaling the darkest era yet in security on the continent since the end of the Cold War. In addition, the growing influence of the Trump administration has destabilized the transatlantic security community, compelling Europe—especially the European Union—to rethink its relations with Russia. The volume editors' primary goal is to illuminate the nature of the deteriorating security relationship between Europe and Russia, and the key implications for its future. While the book is timely, the editors and contributors also draw out long-term lessons from this era of diplomatic degeneration to show how increasing cooperation between two regions can devolve into rapidly escalating conflict. While it is possible that the relationship between Russia and Europe can ultimately be restored, it is also necessary to understand why it was undermined in the first place. The fact that these transformations occur under the backdrop of an uncertain transatlantic relationship makes this investigation all the more pressing. Each chapter in this volume addresses three dimensions of the problem: first, how and why the power status quo that had existed since the end of the Cold War has changed in recent years, as evidenced by Russia's newly aggressive posturing; second, the extent to which the EU's power has been enabled or constrained in light of Russia's actions; and third, the risks entailed in Europe's reactive power—that is, the tendency to act after-the-fact instead of proactively toward Russia—in light of the transatlantic divide under Trump.

"The Russia-Europe relationship is deteriorating, signaling the darkest era yet in security on the continent since the end of the Cold War. In addition, the growing influence of the Trump administration has destabilized the transatlantic security community, compelling Europe-especially the European Union-to rethink its relations with Russia. The volume editors' primary goal is to illuminate the nature of the deteriorating security relationship between Europe and Russia, and the key implications for its future. While the book is timely, the editors and contributors also draw out long-term lessons from this era of diplomatic degeneration to show how increasing cooperation between two regions can devolve into rapidly escalating conflict. While it is possible that the relationship between Russia and Europe can ultimately be restored, it is also necessary to understand why it was undermined in the first place. The fact that these transformations occur under the backdrop of an uncertain transatlantic relationship makes this investigation all the more pressing. Each chapter in this volume addresses three dimensions of the problem: first, how and why the power status quo that had existed since the end of the Cold War has changed in recent years, as evidenced by Russia's newly aggressive posturing; second, the extent to which the EU's power has been enabled or constrained in light of Russia's actions; and third, the risks entailed in Europe's reactive power-that is, the tendency to act after-the-fact instead of proactively toward Russia-in light of the transatlantic divide under Trump"--

The Russia-Europe relationship is deteriorating, signaling the darkest era yet in security on the continent since the end of the Cold War. In addition, the growing influence of the Trump administration has destabilized the transatlantic security community, compelling Europe—especially the European Union—to rethink its relations with Russia.
The volume editors' primary goal is to illuminate the nature of the deteriorating security relationship between Europe and Russia, and the key implications for its future. While the book is timely, the editors and contributors also draw out long-term lessons from this era of diplomatic degeneration to show how increasing cooperation between two regions can devolve into rapidly escalating conflict. While it is possible that the relationship between Russia and Europe can ultimately be restored, it is also necessary to understand why it was undermined in the first place. The fact that these transformations occur under the backdrop of an uncertain transatlantic relationship makes this investigation all the more pressing.
Each chapter in this volume addresses three dimensions of the problem: first, how and why the power status quo that had existed since the end of the Cold War has changed in recent years, as evidenced by Russia's newly aggressive posturing; second, the extent to which the EU's power has been enabled or constrained in light of Russia's actions; and third, the risks entailed in Europe's reactive power—that is, the tendency to act after-the-fact instead of proactively toward Russia—in light of the transatlantic divide under Trump.

Due to the exploitation of international reservoirs, natural energy sources have become rare, disputed among States and therefore strategic. The reliance on these resources is linked to energy security and dependence in both terms of energy imports or exports. Furthermore, the access and reallocation of energy flows entail an alteration of the balance of power among States as well as the raise of national energy security strategies and debates. The aim of this volume is to analyze the evolution of energy relations between the European Union and the Russian Federation from a state of pure Dependence to the establishment of a balanced Interdependence, underling also the challenges facing the EU in terms of dependence and diversifications in the framework or the EU-Russian energy cooperation.