The Ukraine crisis has led to fundamental rethinking of the relationship between the EU and Russia. Since the 1990s there was an assumption of growing partnership and greater integration. This paper argues that the Ukraine crisis was the culmination of a long period of growing misunderstanding between the two. Russia now appears to be set on a separate road of development which has echoes of a more traditional concept of the "Russian idea". The paper argues, however, that such a path is not sustainable and that paradoxically Russia and the EU need each other more than ever. (Willing to be part of the ECPR SGEU panels)
