Russia eyes the European family

Russia's economy is not yet compatible with the EU's

By Steve Rosenberg in Moscow

If there were prizes just for trying, then Russia might have come a little higher than 12th in last weekend's Eurovision Song Contest.

Russia has never won, but this is the one night of the year when Russia stands shoulder to shoulder with the rest of Europe.

Alexander Belanogov, Moscow's Eurovision commentator, says anything that brings Russians closer to Europe is good.

Vladimir Putin believes Russia's future lies inside the European family

"I felt the greatest emotion, it looks like the whole European family is together and if you are a member of a big family and you love them and they love you this is great!"

President Vladimir Putin is singing a similar tune.

He has made it clear that he sees his country as an important member of the European family - a message that is beginning to strike a chord with the Russian people.

Stability and prosperity

Sergei Karaganov, director of the Institute of Europe in Moscow, says: "In spite of the fact that there is strong anti-Western sentiment in Russia, Europe is still very popular."

"More and more Russians are calling for Russian membership of the EU, they see it as an island of stability and prosperity."

According to a recent nationwide poll, 59% of Russia said they supported the idea of EU membership.

I just feel sorry for Europe, it is too much of a nice place to spoil

Vladimir Solovyov, radio host

That is certainly the view that emerged during a phone-in on Silver Rain radio station.

Nearly everyone who called supports the idea of Russia one day joining the EU.

But the show's host, Vladimir Solovyov, believes that is nothing more than a pipe dream.

"When Europe had a minor problem of reuniting Germany it faced a whole bunch of economic hardships, emotional problems and so on. Imagine you have to deal with mother Russia, with its slavery mentality?"

Uphill struggle

Russia's legal system is still a long way from being EU compatible.

The same could be said of its democracy: There are widespread concerns in the West about the state of freedom of the press, human rights and the war in Chechnya.

Few Russians understand just how much their country needs to change before it can even think of joining the EU.

We are the victims of our geography. Look at the map and you'll see that the major part of the Russian territory is in Asia

Leonid Dobrokhotov, Communist party adviser

But the fact remains that more and more Russians believe their future really does lies in Europe and none more so than Irina Khakamada, a liberal deputy in the Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament.

Mrs Khakamada has just formed a European Club inside parliament with the aim of promoting Russian membership of the EU.

It only has 20 members so far, but Irina believes that from acorns, oak trees do eventually grow, especially when the Kremlin is watering the plants.

But not everyone in Russia is looking West.

Asian influence

Leaned Dobrokhotov is an adviser to the Communist Party leader Genady Zyuganov. Russia, he says, is kidding itself if it only has eyes for Brussels.

"Russians try to be Europeans, they are fighting to be Europeans, but it seems to me that the Asian history had much more serious effect on Russian national character and psychology than the European one."

The enthusiasm for the EU has not reached far out of Moscow.

Half an hour's drive north of the capital, Baba Valya, sings Russian folk songs as she sells meat pies by the side of the road.

She has never heard of Eurovision, or the European Union.

"I don't understand what Europe is - I've never seen it," she says. "It's hard enough for me to get to Moscow!"

If Russia is to move closer to Europe - international song contests and the whims of politicians are not enough.

European culture must first take root, not just in the big cities, but in the small towns and villages - and in the hearts and souls of people like Baba Valya cut off for so long from their neighbours in the West.