No 54 – The partnership for modernisation – a German success or failure?

Just before Polish presidency, which assumes strenghtening of partnership with the East, the effects of German and European Union activities within the Partnership for Modernisation seem to be exceptionally important. In the first decade of XXI century, Germany's policy towards Russia was based on an assumption of necessity of bringing Russia closer to NATO and European structures, as well as support democratic transformation. That was supposed to be the main component of German Ostpolitik, important part of German foreign policy and so-called east dimension of the EU.
Nowadays, Germnay still have an ambition to play the role of the main EU-country which is committed to the process of democratisation in Russia. But since 2009 it is not treated as an absolute category ‘Russia first!'. In Germany there is a lack of a wide consesus and homogenous vision of its east foreign policy.