Russia – the European Union. Political relations in the ideological context

The article outlines the relations Russia-EU in the first decade of the twenty-first century on the political level. Here we see an important cultural aspect. The article highlights the centuries-old Russian dilemma of joining the world of Western or building their own identity (a strong national identity). In the internal discourse, Europe served (and still holds) as a reference point for self-identification of the Russians and the search for civilization solutions. The article also presents historical and cultural background of the relationship between Russia and Europe