Will Russia divide the EU?

Academics Bertrand Benoit and Richard Milne note that an argument about Russia between the Lithuanian ambassador and Germany's ambassador at a recent meeting in Brussels "called into question the ability of Germany, current holder of the EU presidency, to remain neutral in a whole range of disputes between Russia and its former Soviet-era satellites in eastern Europe. ... German business needs good relationships with a stable, if authoritarian, Russia and it wields considerable influence in Berlin. ... By sticking to its exclusive relationship with Moscow, however, some EU experts argue that Berlin is contributing to the division of Europe. Besides, they argue, Germany's interest - to persuade an increasingly affluent and assertive Russia to remain a reliable energy supplier and partner - would be better served by building a truly European policy towards Moscow."

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