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beyondukraine.euandrussiainsearchofanewrelation

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84 Beyond Ukraine. EU and Russia in Search of a New Relation<br />

local manifestations in the form of military aid from Russia and<br />

the West to the parties involved in the conflict in Ukraine. We will<br />

also witness a military build-up on both sides, which will<br />

negatively affect European security. Needless to say, such a trend<br />

will result in growing military expenditures and an ensuing shift of<br />

scarce resources from a development to a security agenda. This is<br />

harmful for Ukraine, Russia, the EU and the U.S. as well.<br />

Similarly, the issue of U.S. Conventional Prompt Global Strike<br />

(CPGS) is likely to go beyond discussion. It may now be<br />

considered a mechanism to contain Russia via the prospect of<br />

retaliation. Russia cannot counterbalance the challenge with<br />

equivalent means. But Russian military doctrine implies that this<br />

challenge can be responded to by means of nuclear weapons if an<br />

attack using conventional forces against Russia threatens its<br />

existence as a state. No doubt, the development of global strike<br />

capabilities as well as Russian nuclear forces under conditions of<br />

zero-trust will severely undermine Euro-Atlantic security. In fact,<br />

it may revive the idea of limited nuclear strikes both in Russia and<br />

in the West. It is noteworthy that during the Cold War these ideas<br />

were carefully analyzed by both sides. They were rejected as<br />

suicidal due to the high probability of quick escalation to a largescale<br />

nuclear conflict. Whether this conclusion will be made again<br />

is a matter of question.<br />

Moreover, the interaction on cyber-security issues also faces<br />

some serious problems. The digital environment has been<br />

transforming into a field of bitter rivalry. Regulation initiatives, in<br />

the current situation, are unlikely to see any development. At the<br />

same time, cyberspace is becoming more and more crucial for<br />

national security. Russia, the EU and the U.S. remain vulnerable<br />

in terms of cyber threats. The absence of cooperation will increase<br />

this vulnerability. Moreover, cyberspace may become a field of<br />

hidden rivalry between them.<br />

As far as cooperation in space is concerned, we are likely to<br />

witness a new wave of militarization and scaling down of<br />

multilateral cooperation. There is the possibility of reviving<br />

satellite interception programs and other programs involving the

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