№ 6 - 2000
Plyays Ya.A.
Russia and Europe: What We Need Each Other for (On the Overcoming of a Civilizational Cleavage)

The main subject of the article is the civilizational cleavage between Russia and Europe and its reasons that are to be and are being cleared up. The historically traditional role of Russia as counterbalance of world cataclysms and shock-absorber has ceased to correspond to modern realities. An important role in the modernization of the «Russia — the West» dialogue belongs to those aspects of the relations between our country and the NATO, as well as the European Union, which are analyzed in the article. The author offers and tries to substantiate his vision of the basic principles of constructing the relations between Russia and Europe in such a way as to harmonically combine globalization tendencies and national interests.