The European Union as an International Actor

... integration phenomenon and differentiation within the Union, consolidation of the EU as a global player seems quite awkward. While acknowledging that the center of gravity for global decisions is shifting, Russia may not neglect the European vector, with the Union of Europe growing into the new strategic goal of integrating on the basis of mutually beneficial and equal relations. 1 . See L.O.Babynina Flexible Integration in the European Union: Theory and Practice, Moscow: URSS, 2012. 2 . Emerson M. Implications of the Eurozone Crisis for EU Foreign Policy: Costs and Opportunities. Brussels: CEPS Commentaries. 1 June 2012. P.2