"Rebranding Russia: Norms, Politics and Power." CEPS Working Document No. 283, February 2008

This working paper argues that Russia is in the process of re-branding itself internationally, with a variety of normative arguments increasingly creeping into its wider international discourse. By appealing to norms, Russia tries to reformulate the key messages it sends to the world and implant the concept of its power worldwide. Yet given that Russia’s normative messages are often met with scarce enthusiasm in Europe, it is of utmost importance to uncover how the normative segment in Russian foreign policy is perceived, evaluated and debated both inside Russia and elsewhere. Within this framework, this paper focuses on a set of case studies highlighting the normative and non-normative dimensions of Russian foreign policy. These include Russia-EU trans-border cooperation, Moscow’s policies towards Estonia, Poland, Ukraine/Georgia and the UK, Russian strategies in the ‘war on terror’ and energy issues

Russia and its 'New Security Architecture' in Europe: A Critical Examination of the Concept. CEPS Working Document No. 310, 5 February 2009

One of the most important effects of Russia’s war against Georgia in August 2008 was a new set of approaches to the future of European security being actively promoted by Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. According to their interpretation, the Georgian war was not a particular incident (an exception) but a structural event, a landmark comparable to Russia’s own 'September 11' to be symbolised as a 'moment of truth'. This Working Document looks at Russia’s critique of the existing security architecture and its search for a new one

Russian Identities and the Idea of International Society 20 Years after the Fall of the USSR

In the paper the author analyzes different Russian international identities of the post-Soviet period. Stressing that the Russian identity discourse cannot be simply reduced to the Soviet one, the paper emphasizes the plurality of Russia’s identity discourses. At the same time the menu of Russian foreign policy identities to a large extent depends upon a variety of international structures in which Russia may imagine to engage with. The paper suggests that there are four possible types (models) of the international society, which different Russian identities might be inscribed in. The author seeks to explain the range of Russian international identities by the variety of the patterns of international society which co-exist and offer alternative policy strategies for Moscow

The Elephant and the Bear Try Again: Options for a New Agreement between the EU and Russia. CEPS Paperbacks. November 2006

The year 2007 will mark the tenth anniversary of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the EU and Russia. At their Sochi summit in May 2006, the two parties agreed to work towards a new agreement to replace the PCA. This book explores whether the EU and Russia could make a better job of their strained relationship, which, while peaceful, is nevertheless characterised by mounting grumbles on both sides over how to govern oil and gas trade and investment, through to issues of democratic values and divergent approaches to such countries as Georgia and Ukraine in their overlapping neighbourhoods. The book presents the views of independent analysts from both the EU (Michael Emerson, Fabrizio Tassinari and Marius Vahl) and Russia (Nadezhda Arbatova, Timofei Bordachev and Andrey S. Makarychev) on how to proceed. Also included is a view from Europe’s business leaders. The editor, Michael Emerson, was the European Union’s first ambassador to Moscow from 1991 to 1996. The negotiations that will soon begin at the official level will no doubt be a long process. This book provides ideas that the authors would like the negotiators to embrace, and in any case serves as a valuable reference against which to check what political leaders choose to do

Structuring of Surface Films Formed on Magnesium in Hot Chlorobenzotriazole Vapors

Chamberprotection of metals from atmospheric corrosion is a variety of vapor-phase inhibition. It is based on the effect of adsorption films formed in the vapors of low-volatile corrosion inhibitors at elevated temperatures. The paper analyzes the specific features of the chamber protection of a magnesium alloy with chlorobenzotriazole. It has been found that the protective properties of surface films formed in hot vapors of this compound increase upon exposure of the metal to air. The processes of structuring of protective films that occur in this case have been studied by a set of corrosion, electrochemical and physical methods. It has been shown that chamber treatment of the alloy is accompanied by chlorobenzotriazole adsorption and uniform thickening of the surface oxide-hydroxide layer. In this case, the corrosion processes slow down by a factor of up to 10. Prolonged exposure of the samples in air after the chamber treatment results in additional oxidation of magnesium and hydroxylation of the oxide. However, the oxide-hydroxide layer does not grow on the entire surface, but as separate islets. Such a change in the structure of the surface films results in an additional 10-fold increase in the corrosion resistance of the magnesium alloy