A Less than Special Relationship: The UK's Russia Experience

Abstract

This article examines the UK's post-ColdFor many Member States, the European Union has proved a significant forum for managing relations with Russia. The same cannot be said for the UK. In successive foreign policy documents, the EU is referenced as just one of a wider circle of arrangements through which the UK's relations with Russia are conducted. Each is a supplement to rather than substitute for bilateralism. Indeed, the UK has tried to position itself as interlocutor between Russia and others, notably the USA, rather than rely on the EU or others to perform that role on its behalf. In demonstrating this, three phases in the UK's post-Cold War relationship with Russia are identified and followed: the first is a period of engagement and accommodation; the second one of disappointment and disapprobation; the third, wary cooperation and pragmatic engagement. Factors most affecting the relationship are not UK membership of the EU but i) the simultaneous pursuit of values and interests, ii) the role of leadership and iii) external pressures. Neither state is necessarily reliant upon each other but common threats and challenges and the desire to trade mean neither is entirely independent of the other either. Historically and currently the UK and Russia both seek status as global powers. An intervening and often detrimental variable in this is the USA.

The EU Foreign Policy Analysis

“…During the Russian-Georgian war, David Miliband as foreign secretary led the opposition toward Russia's aggression by visiting Georgia and reassuring its leadership of Western support. Nonetheless, the limited peace agreement brokered by France and Germany which saw Russia as the de facto winner in the region was duly accepted by the British government (Cornell and Starr, 2009;Asmus, 2010;David, 2011).…”

The European Union’s Attitude towards Russia between Values and Interests

“…If Germany has done much more than the other EU member states in order to promote the EU policies on Russia, she has also done much to undermine them (Timmins, 2011). With regard to the United Kingdom, although political relations with Russia have been "less than special" the economic relations have been strong (David, 2011). Over the years, Spain has developed good economic relations with Russia in accordance with her national interests.…”

Review of periodical literature published in 2011

“…An interesting study in Anglo‐Jordanian diplomacy is offered by Ashton, who investigates the political and economic benefits that accrued to both countries (in Britain's case, connected with the aggressive promotion of arms sales) following the revival of bilateral relations between 1979 and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. David's investigation into the shifting stages in post‐Cold War Anglo‐Soviet relations discusses Britain's hopes of serving as interlocutor between Russia and other nations, its attempts to engage Russia in cooperating over common treats, and the constant draw of this resource‐rich country to British businesses.…”