Russia in Europe
Remarks on the Discussion of Policy towards Russia
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Ever since Vladimir Putin resumed the office of president, Russia’s leadership has been trying to assert conservative concepts of life by means of penal law. This interference in the private life of its citizens lends the Putin regime a new, much more repressive character. Because of this, a debate has broken out in Germany over how to deal with Russia. A distinction should be made in this discussion between an evaluation of conditions in Russia and policy vis-à-vis Russia. Solidarity with civil society partners is necessary. But the task of a state’s foreign policy is to assert national interests.
(Osteuropa 8/2013, pp. 107–114)