Understanding the Contest Between the EU and Russia in Their Shared Neighborhood

The Ukraine crisis has turned the EU and Russia from uneasy partners into rivals in the shared neighborhood. But the rivalry differs from traditional power politics as seen during the cold war. While the EU is not a serious competitor in the security field Russia is unable to present a credible alternative to integration into the Single Market. As a result competition is most pronounced at the level of discourse. “Othering” the EU has also been an aspect of Putin’s quest for legitimacy at home. That is a reason enough to expect that the contest between Moscow and Brussels will last.