The Russian Federation's posture towards the European Neighbourhood Policy: A neoclassical realist explanation

This chapter explores the Russian Federation’s perspective on the EuropeanNeighbourhood Policy (ENP) as a way to attenuate the auto-referentialliteratureon the foreign policy of the European Union (EU). Therefore, the chapter proposesan alternative perspective on the ENP by looking at Russia, a major adversaryof that policy. The external political context in which the EU operates isalso – and to a large extent – defined by the intentions and actions of otheractors. The pluralization of points of view in the analysis of the ENP is expectedto suggest new theoretical avenues. Russia in particular has historically played arelevant role in the Eastern and South Caucasian countries included in the ENP,and is determined to hold a strong influence in the region.