Question by guanxii: Do Russians consider Russia to be part of Europe?
Is the EU seen as the enemy or as an eventual entitlement to all Russian citizens?
Are Russians simply too proud to ever consider relinquishing full sovereignty? Even Putin is in favor of the Euro.
If in a decade’s time Russia fulfils all membership requirements, Medvedev & Putin long gone, would non-Russians still be fundamentally opposed to the union & why?
Answers and Views:
Answer by Wayne M
i’m from the UK and not the biggest fan of the EU i wouldn’t loose much sleep if we left it.
Europe still as a big hang over from the cold war Russia as an even bigger hangover.
Currently the EU is clearly run by the western power or pro western government in eastern europe.
Russia do consider them self as part of Europe but they believe they are the largest power in Europe and therefore they should be the power base.
therefore Russia wish to control Europe not be a member of a group of country’s that work together for there common good.
if there is one good thing that could come out of the EU it would be for it to stand up to Russia and keep them in there place.
For Russia to enter the EU it would take russia to do more than just change leader it needs a whole difference frame of mind from them. They need to stop thinking the smaller country’s around them are there to be controlled by them to thinking the country’s around them are there to trade with on equal terms.
Russia by the day are moving more towards being bully’s than becoming partners.
therefore i believe there a larger chance of conflict than chance that Russia will join the EU.
so yes if Russia did change it ways really wished to become a partner they would beable o join the EU but do i think they will ever change there ways NO I DON’T so it will never happen.
Read all the answers in the comments.
What do you think?
dima83 says
It would be hard for Russia to enter EU, because EU should be heavily reformed. I doubt that Russians will agree with the influence of Poland, Baltic States on Russian politics.
Look at EU now. 1,2 million Poles immigrated to Ireland alone. Why this broke country can postpone economic disscusion of whole EU with Russia? Only for political reasons. Nobody in Russia will approve foreign political interest influencing Russian domestic and international policy.
kaanyagizer says
For this moment they don't want to be a part of it ( EU ) for several reasons.
– they doesn't believe EU's future..
– they think EU turns thu kind of economical club not a global power pole
– they doesn't scare from EU because they think EU's armed forces are kind of joke ( united EU army )
– they think a EU membership against the russia's interest
that's why they focused thu SCO ( Shanghai Cooperation Organization ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SCO_logo.svg .. they think SCO can turns easily a Anti – Nato organization and/or new super power for act against America and allies.
.. honest they aren't alone, who doesn't trust America and/or EU's agendas start to focus thu SCO for future, like exactly russians did.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e…
looks like they will grow and grow for future threats .. and I know several more countries who watch the SCO for future.
bottom line : russian doesn't care EU membership anymore.
PTL says
They could also be asian.