ECFR Newsflash

In a report published today, Andrew Wilson argues that instead of rushing to embrace Dmitry Medvedev - Russia's likely new president after the 2 March elections - European Union leaders should agree on a joint Russia strategy and set a series of tests for Putin's successor.

"A repeat of the experience of 2000, when European leaders rushed to establish their own 'personal relationships' with Putin, would further hinder the development of a common EU policy on Russia," Wilson argues in the report.

The EU has a small window of opportunity to develop a unified strategy toward Russia, and to establish new foundations for its bilateral relationship, based on mutual respect for the rule of law. "We should take Medvedev, the lawyer, at his word when he talks about the importance of strengthening the rule of law in Russia," the report says.

The policy brief recommends that the European Union restart negotiations on the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) and include another country, possibly Poland, into trilateral summits between Russia, Germany and France to emphasise the importance of a collective EU approach.

The report also proposes that inter-governmental organizations, such as the Council of Europe and the OSCE, should strive to keep Russia within their ranks but strengthen mechanisms which can put pressure on Russia to meet its commitments.

Finally, the report compares the Medvedev succession with that of Putin in 2000, and reveals the full context of Medvedev's rise to the top, including listing 8 discarded scenarios that have emerged in "Operation Successor 2.0".

The report can be accessed here: ecfr.eu/page/-/documents/ECFR-Policy-Brief-Medvedev.pdf