How Europe Got Russia Wrong

This topical book examines Europe’s relationship with Russia from the 1990s onwards through three distinct lenses: energy, violence and the environment. Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen explores new ways of promoting and protecting the European objectives of peace, sustainability, democracy, and the rule of law.

Tynkkynen employs a Foucauldian power-analytics perspective to examine the influence and adaptability of the German-led Ostpolitik rationale, emphasizing the idea of peacebuilding interdependency. By juxtaposing European discourses to Russian and critically analyzing post-Cold War European Russia policy, the book shows how Europe got Russia wrong and what should be learned from past mistakes. It unfolds the repertoire of non-military means the EU could utilize to isolate and confine the colonial and imperial Russia. Ultimately, Tynkkynen proposes a new strategy for Europe - one that attracts, empowers and forces Russians to choose a more democratic and sustainable future.

Broad and interdisciplinary in scope, this book is invaluable for students and scholars of environmental politics and policy, international relations and European politics. Its use of autoethnographic methods are also beneficial for policymakers and advisors concerned with Europe-Russia relations.