On 28th and 29th May 2020 the European Leadership Network convened the Contact Group on Russia-West Relations via Zoom for its ninth meeting. The Contact Group brings together individuals who can impact national and European policymaking and public debate and who will shape or manage the consequences of present developments in Russia-West relations. Its aims are bridge building, networking, better mutual understanding and the generation of ideas for Europe’s future, including on overcoming the differences between Russia and the West.
The virtual meeting covered topics of central importance to the current state of relations between Russia and the West, including the implications of the COVID-19 on institutional and international collaboration, the potential for unintended military escalation amid low levels of trust and lack of direct communication channels, and the prospects for improvement in EU-Russia relations, as envisaged in President Macron’s initiative. This note summarises the main themes of the discussion.
Read the full summary of the meeting here.
