Russia and EU Relations in Light of Ukraine

The Ukrainian crisis, sparked by former President Yanukovych’s decision to reject the EU Association Agreement (EU AA) in November 2013, highlighted increasing frustration with the divergence of views between the EU and Russia. When Ukraine’s new government decided to sign the EU AA, in Russia’s eyes this confirmed their own view that the agreement had become a choice between East and West. Given the particular importance of Ukraine to Russia’s foreign policy, this signalled that a red line had been crossed. Russia had valid concerns regarding the implications of the agreement for trade relations with Ukraine, but the EU AA has also become part of the Russian narrative aimed at justifying its desire for Ukraine simply to remain within its sphere of influence. This article will seek to offer a better understanding of how Russia views the agreement, and what it means for policymakers engaging with Russia on Ukraine