WHY THERE IS NO PRO-RUSSIAN LOBBY IN THE EU AND DOES RUSSIA NEED ONE?

Russia has never systematically lobbied its interests in Brussels. There is no pro-Russian  lobby at EU level that politically supports Russia, promote its interests in Brussels , and works systematically on improving EU-Russian relations. We’re not talking here about Russia’s ‘public diplomacy and the use of public relations companies such as Brussels-based PR firm GPlus and others or the work undertaken by the Russian mission to the EU working on intelligence gathering and media handling.

The grass-root potential for creating such a lobby certainly exists. Today there are millions of immigrants from the former Soviet Union living in the EU . Over 2.5 million citizens in the EU are ethnic Russians.  By and large, Russians in the EU enjoy significant level of economic prosperity, due undoubtedly to the fact that they are usually highly educated.

In the absence of a pro-Russian lobby, no EU public figure ever paid a price for signing an arrogant anti-Russian letter or voting for a Russia-bashing resolution or for simply making a gratuitous derogatory comment about Russia and its leadership. Misinformed, biased and ill-spirited coverage of Russia in mainstream EU media is a subject of a special conversation. The inability of the Russian Diaspora to create a functional lobby can be at least partly explained by almost subconscious disdain of many Russians in the EU for public politics.

Very little solid research has been done on the ethnical structure and political views of Russian-speaking community in the EU. It's generally believed that the majority of Russian-speaking immigrants who arrived in the EU in the 1970s and 1980s came as political refugees with strong anti-Soviet and anti-Communist views. Some members of this particular "immigration wave" turned professional critics of Russia's political regime and its leadership.

The collapse of Communism and introduction of democratic reforms in Russia have had a profound effect on the way many Russians living in the EU now perceive their homeland. Russian-speaking immigrants of the 1990s and 2000s came to the EU mostly for "economic" reasons, i.e. seeking employment opportunities. Many of them have retained Russian citizenship and a keen interest in current events in Russia. They often cultivate close ties with Russian businesses and thus are naturally interested in developing strong economic relations between the EU and Russia . These people represent a potential grass-root basis a future pro-Russian lobby in the EU can be built upon.

The Russian leadership is wrong in expecting that any real improvements in EU-Russia relations will happen by themselves or will be ushered solely by bilateral summits. It’s in Brussels and at the European Parliament as well as in the member states where ethnic lobbies have traditionally been the most successful in influencing political decisions, and it's here where lacking its own lobby Russia has practically no leverage. This only shows that Russia unfortunately doesn't understand the rules Brussels is playing by and the results are disappointing.

In any discussion of the deep-rooted reasons for today’s alienation between the EU and Russia one first of all needs to note the profound, if not disastrous, reduction in the number of advocates and proponents of a continued dialogue between the two sides. Why are Russia’s appeals and efforts hanging in the air, figuratively speaking, without adequate feedback from either the EU public or from EU’s political elite?

The first reason is the absence of a Russian lobby in the EU and EU lobby in Russia. Bilateral relations, both in Europe and Russia developed quite actively, chiefly due to mutual interest displayed by elites in each country.

 Russia has been deprived of powerful internal motivation for lively bilateral interaction. At present only select individuals from the entrepreneur community act as initiators for the development of EU-Russian relations.

The second reason is the inertia displayed by Russia in its approaches to various options available in relations with the EU. In looking at long-term strategy, it seems logical to focus all efforts on creating a pro-Russia lobby in EU’s political, economic and social life.

Today many points of contact are no longer relevant and no new points have so far been identified.  What is currently required is to draft and implement new reference points in EU-Russia relations that correspond to today’s global realities.

Conclusion

The lack of action in political, economic and cultural fields will inevitably lead to a continuation of the stalemate in bilateral EU-Russia relations for an indefinite period which is detrimental to both sides. Involvement with lobbying activities is crucial, and Russia needs to be more clearly introduced to the European public. Russian interests and arguments need to be supported more actively through discussions and conferences in Brussels and other cities in Europe. Political and economic developments occurring in the EU  must be monitored more closely. Simply reporting the events is not enough.

There is a need  to improve the overall relationship between the European Union and the Russian Federation as well as  forge a stronger political relationship and a deeper understanding between Europe and the Russian Federation.

The mission of a pro-Russian lobby would be to

• Identify the political issues which are vital to Russia and the EU
• Encourage and cultivate an environment in which Russia’s and EU’s political and commercial interests are enhanced.
• Define and promote the agenda of Russia’s  supporters
• Provide decision-makers and those who influence public opinion with well-researched and balanced information about the historical and geo-political realities of Russia
• Consider the formation of Russian Friendship Groups in the Parliaments of the EU’s 28 member states and establish a connection between them.
• Establish channels of communication within the EU political process in order for people to effectively express their support.
• Work across the EU and member states to monitor all legislation that impacts on Russia and lends its support to new initiatives that enhance cooperation between the EU and Russia.