US & EU Relations with Russia
Events in Russia have always been important to both the United States and the member states of the European Union.
When US President Barack Obama met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in London on April 1, 2009, they discussed the drafting of a new arms control treaty and workings towards an improved relationship between the nations. Such meetings are opportunities to redefine the US-Russian relationship, which has been increasingly strained in recent years. The Obama Administration's proposed "reset" of US-Russian relations further seeks to better ties between the two countries on several levels.
During a visit to Moscow in July 2009, Obama said:
"It does seem odd to me that these new charges, which appear to be a repackaging of the old charges, should be surfacing now, years after these two individuals have been in prison and as they become eligible for parole."
Although he said it would be improper to interfere in Russia's legal processes, Obama affirmed his support for President Dmitry Medvedev's "courageous initiative" to strengthen rule of law in Russia. He added that this included "making sure that all those accused of crimes have the right to a fair trial and that the courts are not used for political purposes."
To formalize the "reset" for the promotion of human rights and civil liberties, Presidents Obama and Medvedev agreed to establish the US-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission's Civil Society Working Group, headed by Vladislav Surkov, first deputy chairman of the Russian presidential administration, and Michael McFaul, special assistant to Obama and senior director for Russian affairs at the National Security Council. This forum held its first meeting in January 2010.
In Europe, the EU and Russia are currently negotiating a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) to outline their relationship across many areas and sectors. The European Parliament has strongly indicated that the agreement should reflect a respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law, in addition to reaffirming the importance of energy security and the European Court of Human Rights.
Actions undertaken by the Russian government over several years on issues as wide ranging as energy supply cut-offs to neighboring Ukraine and Belarus (ultimately leading to shortages in western Europe), harassment of BP-TNK's joint venture, Royal Dutch Shell PLC, and Russia's authorities failure to respect basic human rights, most notably with a legal system free from political interference and freedom of the press, continues to raise questions about the current government's path toward democracy and adherence to the norms and rules of the international community. In particular, the case against Khodorkovsky and Lebedev has come to symbolize the erosion of democracy and absence of rule of law in Russia.
The way Russia behaves internally has a direct bearing on how it behaves externally. How Russia will act toward its neighbors, the international community and even its own people are critical issues that leaders of the United States and the European Union must address. Rule of law, property rights, human rights and political stability are among the issues that continue to be raised by the United States and the European Union in connection with the YUKOS Affair.
The YUKOS Affair should be viewed as a barometer for the rule of law and a test case for the future of energy investment cooperation between the US, the E.U. and Russia.