The Russia Foundation
Events
In September and October 2008, The Russia Foundation regularly hosts and participates in events aimed at promoting discussion and awareness of the impact of political, societal and economic developments in contemporary Russia.
The Russia Foundation co-sponsored high-level private briefings with the Foreign Policy Centre, at Labour and Conservative Party Conferences, and has held a series of seminars examining issues of particular interest in the Russia-West relationship.
For further information, please contact us at secretariat@russiafoundation.org or by phone: +44 207 836 3871
New Transatlantic Perspectives on Russia
November saw the election of a new US President and the first EU-Russia summit since the Georgia War. To help draw together the implications of these events, The Russia Foundation hosted a roundtable discussion entitled: "New Transatlantic Perspectives on Russia".
The event was an opportunity for senior politicians, commentators, analysts and experts to explore the impact of the new US administration on western policy towards Russia. Questions addressed included the following:
- How is US policy towards Russia likely to change under the new US President?
- Will the change of administration in Washington promote greater convergence of Transatlantic policy towards Russia?
- Will NATO enlargement remain a dividing line between the US and its European allies?
- Is there scope for greater Transatlantic cooperation on issues like energy security?
The discussion was moderated by David Clark, Chair of the Russia Foundation, and to introduce the discussion, the Russia Foundation welcomed:
- Donald Jensen - Consultant to the US government on Russian affairs and Resident Fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at the Paul Nit
- Professor Alan Riley - Expert in energy and competition law at the City Law School, London, and author of Russian Gas and European Energy Security, a w
- Dr Frank Umbach - Senior Associate for International Energy Security at the Centre for European Security Strategies (CESS) in Munich-Berlin and a
- Marie Mendras - Professor, Department of Government, London School Of Economics and Political Science
For information about future Russia Foundation events, please contact us by email:
secretariat@russiafoundation.org or by phone +44 207 836 3871
The Future Of EU-Russia Relations
In the past few years, the EU's failure to agree on a common policy towards an increasingly assertive Russia has allowed Moscow to progressively strengthen its bargaining position, thus undermining Europe’s most important strategic asset: its unity. How can the EU begin to frame a more effective policy towards Russia in areas like energy and human rights? To what extent will a change of Russian President create opportunities for an improvement in relations?
Ahead of the Russian Presidential elections on 2 March, The Russia Foundation and the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) hosted an event to discuss the future of EU-Russia relations.
The panel of speakers included:
- Mark Leonard - Executive Director, European Council on Foreign Relations
- Andrew Wilson - Senior Lecturer at the School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies and Senior Policy Fellow at ECFR
- Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones - Shadow Security Minister and National Security Adviser to David Cameron
- Rt Hon Dr Denis MacShane MP - Former Minister for Europe 2002-2005
President Medvedev's Innauguration
A roundtable discussion, held in April 2008, with Rt Hon. Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP, Foreign Secretary 1995-97.
The event provided an opportunity for senior politicians, commentators, analysts and experts to explore the implications of Dmitry Medvedev's Presidency, for Russia and the rest of the World.
Areas of discussion included:
- Prospects for political change under Medvedev
- The possible impact on Russian foreign policy
- Policy implications for the UK and Europe
- Forthcoming negotiations on a new EU-Russia agreement
EU-Russia Relations & A New Partnership Agreement
Ahead of the EU-Russia summit at the end of June, The Russia Foundation held an exclusive roundtable meeting which examinedthe state of EU-Russia relations and discussed prospects for the new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the EU and Russia. Negotiations on the new PCA were postponed following the Georgia dispute but are likely to be renewed at theNovember meeting of the European General Affairs Council.
The discussion focused on the following areas:
- EU and Russian negotiating objectives for a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement – are they compatible?
- Prospects for a new deal on energy, including security of supply and market access
- The future of EU-Russia political relations, with particular reference to the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood
Panel speakers at the event were:
- Edward MacMillian-Scott MEP - Director of Economic Security, Lithuanian Foreign Ministry
- Prof Helen Wallace FBA - Centennial Professor, European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science
- Romas Svedas - Director of Economic Security, Lithuanian Foreign Ministry
