From the editorial office. Russian political scientists suddenly unanimously started talking about the rapprochement of Russia and the European Union. It was as if before that, before that, our country oriented against Asia unexpectedly turned to face to Europeans. Indeed, cooperation with Europe is strengthened. We need European technologies for the implementation of plans to modernize the country. But what in return can the EU demand? And is Russia so important for him?

In Russia, there has been no clear policy in relation to Europe recently. We seem to be growing between the East and the West. Russia should be present in Europe, which is due to our membership in the Council of Europe and our economic interests. Another question is that there is Europe today and that it was a hundred and two hundred years ago. Of course, a lot has changed.

European Christianity - both Catholic and Orthodox - is in critical condition. The sociologist, perhaps, would say that this condition is dying. From the position of an external observer, it would be possible to note with statistical indifference that the number of Christians in Europe is constantly and rapidly decreasing . The quality of the confession of faith is also changing.

Formally, Russia has a strategy for Europe - there is a foreign policy doctrine, and the Russian Foreign Ministry works on it. But informally, if we keep in mind by the strategy some purposeful actions, there is no such strategy. We still have not decided whether we are an Eurasian power or we are a purely European power and striving in Europe. And in what quality - as vassals or third -rate Europeans, like Georgians or Baltic states? Or are we striving for Europe, as Peter I did?

From the editorial office. Boris Makarenko is a Russian political scientist, chairman of the board of the Center for Political Technology, the author of many publications, including the “party system in Russia: evolution, current state and prospects” (2001) * * * The questions posed by the “Russian magazine” about the agenda of 2012 should be divided into two parts. Let's start with the campaign in the USA.

Today it seems that there was a lull in the world arena. It is deceptive. This sensation is formed because so far there is an opportunity to discuss global issues lazily. Why not use this, they decided everything. For the past few years, world politics has been abundant for scandals, everyone is already used to counting them for the norm. But this is a lull for a short while. Already in the fall we are waiting for the usual squabbles.

From the editorial office. Leonid Radzikhovsky is a famous Russian journalist and publicist, member of the Moscow Union, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Agency of Political and Economic Communications, laureate of the Golden Feather of Russia Prize. Columnist of Rossiyskaya Gazeta, online publications "View", newspapers "Jewish world". * * * RG: Dear Mr. Radzikhovsky, can it be considered that the presidential election campaign - whether in Russia or in the USA - has already begun?

In the post -Soviet space, there is a certain collective conviction of the need to occupy an intermediate position between Russia and the EU. Moreover, the tension between Russia and the West is one of the resources in the process of building post -Soviet states. For the political leaders of these countries (which was clearly visible in the example of Georgia), it is extremely important, if not that this is the most important thing, the presence of a resource for state construction.

From the editorial office. Russian political scientists suddenly unanimously started talking about the rapprochement of Russia and the European Union. It was as if before that, before that, our country oriented against Asia unexpectedly turned to face to Europeans. Indeed, cooperation with Europe is strengthened. We need European technologies for the implementation of plans to modernize the country. But what in return can the EU demand? And is Russia so important for him?