The re-emergence of a ‘mirror image’ in West–Russia relations?

Smith, Nicholas Ross

doi:10.1057/s41311-017-0095-z

Cited by 17 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 30 publications

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“…In the scope of democracy, this is a potentially significant development because both Russia and China, in recent years, have been accused of being autocracy promoters in their interaction with smaller partners (Schweickert, Melnykovska, and Plamper 2012). In Russia's case, there is evidence to suggest that it has been actively engaged in the promotion of anti-EU politicians and political parties within the EU and the promotion of more authoritarian regimes in its near abroad and, perhaps, the Western Balkans also (Smith 2018). China, more recently, has won widespread applause in the Western Balkans given its support regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, something which the EU has been heavily criticized for failing to do (Smith and Fallon 2020).…”

Section: Onwards: a Failed New Phase In The Eu's Engagement With The mentioning

confidence: 99%

The EU’s stability-democracy dilemma in the context of the problematic accession of the Western Balkan states

Smith

Khaze

Kovačević

2020

Journal of Contemporary European Studies

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The accession of the remaining six Western Balkan states into the EU is shrouded in much uncertainty. Despite Croatia finally traversing the difficult path to eventual membership in 2013, not one of the remaining Western Balkan countries can claim to be on a definite pathway to membership today. An increasingly prevalent argument is that the EU's engagement with its neighbourhoods has faltered because its strategies have been undermined by an inherent stability-democracy dilemma. This article examines the EU's engagement with the Western Balkans and finds that although the EU tried to transcend this dilemma, in reality, a tension between stability and democracy was present with the former generally receiving more attention in policymaking. This led to not only a lack of tangible democratization amongst the Western Balkan states, but further uncertainty about their accession prospects. By 2018, it was clear that the EU's engagement with the Western Balkans needed a rethink, resulting in a new approach: the 'Six Flagship Initiatives'. However, given the apprehensiveness of some member states (especially France) coupled with the presence of outsiders such as Russia and China in the area, the accession prospects of the six non-EU Western Balkan states remains blurred.

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Section: Onwards: a Failed New Phase In The Eu's Engagement With The mentioning

confidence: 99%