A Second Cold War?

Alexander Rahr is a Russia expert from the German Society for Foreign Affairs, a Berlin-based research group.

DW-RADIO: Do the ongoing disputes between Russia and the EU make you pessimistic about the prospects for any breakthroughs at the upcoming summit?

Alexander Rahr: In the short run, I'm very skeptical and pessimistic about the possibility of improving relations between Russia and the European Union, but of course one has to be more optimistic for the long run. But presently, there is talk of a new Cold War between the EU and Russia.

One of the main disputes is about the power that Moscow wields because of its massive reserves of oil and gas and its control over the transport of energy supplies from Central Asia. How do you think this issue will be addressed at the summit?

I think that this is a temporary situation. The situation in general will stabilize and improve because Russia needs its European partners and the European market in order to sell its goods. It cannot sit on its oil and get the sources alone. It has to sell it.

On the other hand, the West also has to understand that the Russia of today is not the Russia of the 90s. Russia also has some new powers which we have to take into account.

What do you think Russia's expectations for the upcoming summit are? What does it hope to achieve?

Russia itself has a wait-and-see attitude. It wants to have good cooperation with the European Union, but it does not want to tolerate criticism of its interior policies.

Russia says it wants a different kind of cooperation with the European Union -- not the kind of cooperation on mutual values, which the European Union demands. Russia wants a purely pragmatic, business-like cooperation.

One of the main issues is the current state of human rights in Russia. Some have complained that the EU has not protested enough against some of the human rights abuses in Russia. Do you think this issue will be raised at the summit?

This issue has been raised at every summit for many years. But the fact that the problems are being raised will not lead to any solution. Russia will listen, but it will say, "The West does not understand us. We have completely different problems and you, the West, should choose whether you want us as a pragmatic partner or whether you want to teach us democracy."

Marianna Evenstein interviewed Alexander Rahr (kjb)