Joschka Fischer offers a realistic view of EU-Russia relations

In an article in the Guardian, former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer offers a rather insightful analysis of the realities of a new Russia – EU relationship. He suggests the EU to take specific steps to counter Russia’s power politics:

This requires several measures:

• A new political dynamism vis-à-vis Turkey to link this country, one crucial for European security, permanently to Europe;
• Putting a stop to Moscow’s divide-and-conquer politics by adopting a common EU energy policy;
• Serious initiative for strengthening Europe’s defence capabilities;
• A greater EU commitment to Ukraine to safeguard its independence;
• A greater freedom of travel for all the EU’s Eastern neighbours.

I do not think any of these suggestions are especially difficult to agree upon in the EU, so the initiative should start now.