Mating with Europe

What problems are worried about young Europeanists and what ordinary citizens think about cooperation with the EU

• When I was still studying at school, at Miass, I watched the European Championship, the Champions League, and Russian clubs always participated there. Therefore, the question has never arose for me - is Russia part of Europe or not.
• Can you imagine that the EU borders on China?! This even from the point of view of economic affairs is a completely different crankshaft than if the EU borders on Belarus, with Ukraine. This changes everything: the EU enters the Asia-Pacific region, the future center of the world economy!
• I was born in Siberia and never thought of myself like a European before moving to St. Petersburg and obtaining higher education. And my colleagues seemed to feel like Europeans since childhood, youth.
• The most free, most European part of Russia is Siberia. Look at the Far East, at the electoral results - even in our political system, apparently, more freedom -loving people live than somewhere in Central Russia.
• Russia is a unique country, there are 20 percent of the population that professes Islam. There are national republics of the North Caucasus, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan. And if suddenly Europe opens for Russia, then we bring to Europe our Muslim population.

Tamara Lyalenkova : Today we will talk about Europe - from an impartial scientific point of view, which the participants of the contest of the articles of young European capables "Russia, Europe, Peace" tried to adhere to. In addition, we will try to understand how the political optics have changed, and how the approach of young researchers differs from the experience of the older generation.

In the Moscow Studio, one of the competitions of the competition, political scientist-Europeist Kirill Zarifulin , journalist, student of the master's program of the University of Tartu Taisiya Shentseva and member of the expert group "European Dialogue" , Doctor of Economics, Evgeny Gontmamer .

Tamara Lyalenkova : My first question to Tai, since she was part of the jury commission, which filtered articles at the first stage. Were among the works politically engaged in the pro -Russian side, specially or by virtue of sincere beliefs?

Taisiya Shentseva : There were several such works. I cannot call them politically engaged, but they were present in a similar point of view of the author, which, however, is normal for analytical publications. In one work, for example, the case of Skripal was seen as a politically engaged action. Since I look at this situation differently, I saw a political background, but at the same time the article remained scientific.

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Competition "Russia, Europe, Peace"

The award ceremony of the winners of the contest of articles of young European capitals "Russia, Europe, Peace"

Tamara Lyalenkova : Evgeny Shlemovich, among the evaluation criteria is relevance. As it seemed to you, it was considered from the point of view of the Russian, or maybe there was an attempt to stand on the European side?

Evgeny Gontmamer : Basically, people wrote from a Russian point of view. Of course, there were some works on the other hand, especially the guys who live abroad, someone in Poland, someone in Greece, someone works at the embassy, which in itself is actually life abroad, even if you live in Moscow. But basically it was a Russian view of what is happening between us and Europe.

Tamara Lyalenkova : Kirill, you are from the Chelyabinsk region, from Miass. When did you decide that you will be engaged in Europe?

Kirill Zarifulolin : When I was still at school, I watched the European Championship, the Champions League, and Russian clubs always participated there. Therefore, the question never arose for me - is Russia part of Europe or not? Later I chose the sphere of international relations, entered MGIMO. But there were already alternative points of view. With some surprise, I learned that many people think that Russia is not Europe, but Eurasia or even Asia. And with this it began both my personal, personal interest and scientific.

Tamara Lyalenkova : Evgeny Shlemovich, as it seemed to you, the interest of the guys is deployed aside ideological (about values) or economic?

Evgeny Gontmamer : The work is rather applied in nature, in the good sense of the word. The guys are engaged in specific things related to international relations, with the world economy, in general, these are such applied sciences, not sociology, not history.

It seems to me that this is just good when young people look at the same time - we are Europe. The younger generation, at least, the small scope that participated in our competition, considers it an axiom. Now we need to look for ways where we can get closer, do something together.

Europe is a system of certain values

From my point of view, Europe is a system of certain values. This is freedom, which lies within the framework of the legal field, human rights, and so on. And young people, as I understand it from a street survey, believe that they are all right with this, it’s like air for them. I think that if you ask the same thing somewhere in Berlin or Tartu, many about the same will tell about cars and other things. Few people will remember the values of what life is built on. But this is an absolutely normal situation.

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Mating with Europe. A survey of youth

What is Russia borrowing from Europe? A survey of young people

Tamara Lyalenkova : Taya, does young Europeanists have concerns that values are destroyed in Europe? For example, populism supplants democratic principles?

Taisiya Shentseva : We publish eurdages on the European Dialog website twice a month, five of the best either academic or analytical texts. And each time there is something about populism and about values. In competitive work, this topic was also raised, in particular, about academic values.

There are two points of view, and they are absolutely polar because people live in different worlds. There are people who perceive the European Union as

The European Union symbolizes the victory of democracy, faith in human rights and all the best in people

Economic community. And then, of course, there is no problem with values. And there are people (I attribute myself to them) who perceive the European Union as something more: it symbolizes the victory of democracy, faith in human rights and all the best in people. Of course, it is very difficult to achieve such an integration level when all countries would meet these criteria. And this is one of the most popular topics for research.

It is interesting that my colleagues seemed to feel like Europeans since childhood, youth. I was born in Siberia and never thought of myself like a European before moving to St. Petersburg and obtaining higher education. Only then did a certain choice formed in me, which I am true.

Evgeny Gontmamer : There is such a theory, it seems like exotic, but correct. The most free, most European part of Russia is Siberia. There has never been serfdom. Free people have always lived - both in the XVIII and in the 19th century. Look at the Far East, at the electoral results - even in our political system, apparently, more freedom -loving people live than somewhere in Central Russia. In general, to be born a Siberian is closer to Europe than if a person was born in Novgorod, Pskov, Tver and even Moscow.

Tamara Lyalenkova : An interesting thought. But in Russia, relations with European states have always developed differently. Maybe the current situation is natural in the context of European history?

Kirill Zarifulolin : Why doesn’t Russia and the EU? In my opinion, political reasons play the main role here. If it were

If there was the political will of Russia towards value integration, then there would be no problems here

Political will, primarily from Russia, towards the value integration between Russians and Europeans, there would be no problems here. Those political preferences, the system that developed in Russia throughout the 2000s and which to this day determine our foreign policy and domestic political agenda, it is they who impede the interfacing of Russia with the European Union.

If there were no political reasons, then from an economic point of view, and from the civilizational, cultural side of problems with the strategic cooperation of Russia and the European Union, there would be much less.

Tamara Lyalenkova : In his article, Kirill wrote that Russia did not agree to democratic, value constructs that are already available in Europe, because she wanted to develop its own, and this just prevented economic cooperation.

Evgeny Gontmamer : This is a problem of Russian scale. In Europe, the largest country is Germany. Now imagine that tomorrow everyone will become members of the European Union. 140 with something millions of population - the territory from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, the border with China and so on. Russia's entry into the EU is not the entry of Moldova, Georgia or even Ukraine! It will change the entire structure from the point of view of the centers of power, I'm not talking about nuclear weapons, which is virtually unique with us: France has a little bit, the UK, but this is incomparably with us.

The center of the European Union move to the city of Miass! (I exaggerate, of course). Now, as it were, the capital of the European Union - Berlin, Paris. And if there is Russia there, then the center of gravity, the center of power will be somewhere in the area of Moscow, St. Petersburg. In Europe, they are not ready for this. They cannot digest (I'm not talking about our sins, which are quite a lot) Russian scale. What was mistaken in Europe in the 90s, when the Soviet Union broke up, the "cold" war was won and we said that we were going the direction? They should have developed a special program for the integration of Russia into a common space. They entered us into the Eastern Partnership. Who was there? Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, and so on, with all due respect to these countries. We are different! This is a completely different process!

They should have developed a special program for the integration of Russia into a common space

The same goes for NATO. With our huge military organization, we must integrate into the Euro -Atlantic Security System. And the EU did not resolve these issues for themselves. Of course, we also added to our part. And it turned out such a conversation with the blind. Can you imagine that the EU borders on China?! This even from the point of view of economic affairs is a completely different crankshaft than if the EU borders on Belarus, with Ukraine. This changes everything: the EU enters the Asia-Pacific region, the future center of the world economy! This is the Mediterranean of the XXI century! This is a challenge for the EU.

Taisiya Shentseva : But you need to understand that membership in the European Union is not the only form of partnership. In connection with the release of the UK, new structures will develop. Accordingly, Russia is also suitable for the definition of a "third country."

Evgeny Gontmamer : Naturally, the problem of layering arises. Even inside the EU discuss the actual division into the core and, relatively speaking, Eastern Europe.

Taisiya Shentseva : Multistish Europe.

Evgeny Gontmamer : Yes, multi -speed, diverse - Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria. On the other hand, Norway is not a member of the European community. Great Britain, apparently, will not be. There must be some kind of affected status close, friendly, but not in. And Russia can apply for it.

There is not a single country in Europe where there are autonomies related to Islam

But we must, apparently, together with the Europeans to decide - do not beat the dishes in our common apartment, but decide - how we relate with them. Russia is a unique country, we have 20 percent of the population that professes Islam. There are national republics of the North Caucasus, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan. In Europe, there is not a single country where there are autonomies associated with Islam. They have Muslims, and today we are observing the situation with migration, with clashes of crops: that Europe is very painfully worried. And then suddenly Europe opens for Russia, and we bring to Europe our Muslim population. The whole agenda must, apparently, now formulate.