Russia's Plan for a New Pan-European Security Regime

A Serious Proposal or an Attempt at Division?

Author(s): Margarete Klein
Editor(s): Matthias Neumann, Robert Orttung, Jeronim Perovic, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder
Series: Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
Issue: 55
Pages: 6-9
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen
Publication Year: 2009

In June 2008, Russia tabled a proposal for a new pan-European security architecture. It calls for a legally binding treaty under international law for all states from Vancouver to Vladivostok. In view of unresolved security issues on the continent, there is certainly a need for debate over possible improvements in Europe's security architecture. The Russian proposal pursues two aims. The first is to address Russia´s security concerns and make the Europeans and the USA listen to them. The second is to strengthen Russia´s position in European security policy and to weaken the influence of Western institutions such as NATO. Therefore, Medvedev's idea of a Helsinki 2 process should not, serve as the sole basis for such a debate, The European states would do better to develop proposals and demands of their own and to test Moscow's interest and willingness to compromise against these.

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