Current problems of Europe

INTRODUCTION

В.И. Васильев

Vasiliev Victor Ivanovich – Sc.D. in Political Sciences, professor, chief researcher, Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations

Abstract

In the Introduction the author explores the importance of research papers on Germany for the development of political science in Russia as a whole. The Introduction underlines special role of the USSR in the unification of Germany (1990). The article explores the key elements of establishment and development of German-Russian relations since 1990-s until 2010-s und underlines their key problems and evaluates the perspectives of their development. This issue of the journal ,,Urgent Problems of Europe,, is specially dedicated to Germany after reunification (1990) and consists of three parts. The first is historical and covers first of all German-German relations in 1949-1990. The second part consists of the articles on internal political development of Germany. The key attention is paid to the evolution of political landscape of Germany during the modern period, including political parties’ challenges. The features of their development are most thoroughly illustrated by the case of the Left Party. The third part consists of the articles on German foreign policy. The volume evaluates the role and place of Germany in key Euro-Atlantic institutions such the EU (in economic aspects) and NATO (from military-political point of view). The research papers cover the dynamics and perspectives of relations between Germany and key Western powers, first of all France and the USA. In this regard the issue explores the question about the character of the current crisis situatuion in relations between official Berlin and the White House and underlines the features of these relations since German reunification (1990). Touching upon German-French relations the research papers cover both political and military, including military-technical, cooperation. The volume pays special attention to the directions of German foreign policy outside the Euro-Atlantic community. The research papers explore the historical features, dynamics and perspectives of relations between Germany and Russia. The issue considers the character of German-Chinese dialogue. In this regard authors also explore German participation in the stabilizing of unstable states in Asia and Africa (the cases of Afghanistan and Mali).

Keywords

Germany, reunification, foreign policy, internal development, the EU, NATO, the USA, France, Russia, China.

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