Why have the European Union and the Russian Federation encountered severe difficulties in developing their relationship? Why haven't the parties lived up to the initial promise and enthusiasm of the early 1990s?

Beginning with the immediate aftermath of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, this book provides a practical answer to these questions whilst linking the issues to International Relations theorizing. Taking into account both the role of ideas and power, the book links the topic with three variants of mainstream theorizing: the English School, (neoliberal) institutionalism...