German-Russian International Affairs Dialogue (GRID). Conference Reports

... The Europeans did not expect Russia to intervene into Ukrainian affairs, whereas the Russian side did not expect the EU, and Germany especially to take a hard line in ensuring that Russia would be punished for its actions. One Russian participant stated ... ... Western countries should take a more balanced view on these issues and not blame Russia exclusively for the current crisis. European Security The majority of Russian participants agreed that the OSCE was largely ineffective in addressing the modern security challenges and crises in Europe. They claimed that it is vital to start thinking about a new security architecture, which might include reforming and strengthening ...