Resumen de Challenging reductionism in analyses of EU-Russia energy relations

Andrew Judge, Tomas Maltby, Jack D. Sharples

• The EU and Russia exist in a complex and, at times, seemingly paradoxical and contradictory relationship. On the one hand, the two sides remain rhetorically committed towards a close and developing strategic partnership. On the other, the EU-Russia political relationship is currently at its lowest ebb since the end of the Cold War due to the crisis in Ukraine. A mixture of politics, economics and geography provide an impetus for the development of mutually beneficial relations and, at the same time, obstacles to the achievement of such a positive partnership. No matter how tense the political relationship may become, economic ties and simple geographical proximity mean that the two sides are compelled to continue their dialogue