Development of Latvian-Russian relations in the context of Latvian integration in the EU and NATO

This bachelor thesis deals with the development of relations between the Republic of Latvia and the Russian Federation in years 1991-2010 in the context of Latvia's accession to the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization and with the impact the integration in these organizations have had on bilateral relations of Latvia and Russia. The thesis asks whether the relations of Latvia and Russian Federation improved after Latvia joined the EU and NATO to the effect that the conflicting themes disappeared from bilateral agenda or at least decreased in number. The thesis also asks which particular areas and themes of Latvian- Russian relations were affected by EU and which by NATO and whether the effect was positive or negative. Using literature I am trying to prove that the relations between Latvia and Russia improved in several areas and that some conflicting themes were removed. I work on hypothesis that Latvia's membership in the EU and NATO had been a factor that created opportunity for improving relations. It was because integration eliminated the existential concerns of Latvian politicians, who could therefore stop perceiving Russia as an imminent threat to national security. In the case of Russian Federation I work with the assumption that after Latvia's integration into..