Tinderbox: Danish-Russian Relations, 1989-2019

• Main Author: Ghose, Maddy
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center 2020
• Subjects: nordstream; nordic-russian relations; scandinavian-russian relations; european diplomacy; baltic sea region; danish history; Cultural History; Diplomatic History; Eastern European Studies; European History; European Languages and Societies; International Relations; Military History; Other International and Area Studies; Political History; Scandinavian Studies; Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies; Arctic; Greenland
• Online Access: https://repository.usfca.edu/thes/1279; https://repository.usfca.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2371&context=thes

This thesis documents and analyzes the major trends of the military, political, economic, and cultural relationships between Denmark and Russia from 1989 to 2019. I document the relationship from the Danish perspective, using primary sources, with the aim to conduct analysis of Danish politicians’ speeches and activities during this period. The outcome is a comprehensive image of the Danish-Russian bilateral relationship at the present time. This relationship has fluctuated widely during the time period under study. Shared economic development interests in the 1990s contributed to a positive relationship; controversy surrounding the war in Chechnya and an assertive Danish prime minister caused a severe downturn in relations during the 2000s; between 2009 and 2014, Danish economic interests took top priority and helped salvage the relationship with Russia; but following what the West perceived as Russian aggression in Ukraine in 2014, combined with developments in the European energy sector, we are now seeing another low period in the Danish-Russian relationship. The fact that Denmark plays a key role in the linkages between European energy security and expansion of Russian energy exports, and has through its connection with Greenland a voice in the issues of sovereignty and access in the Arctic, competition over which is only going to increase in the coming years, underscores the importance of understanding this relationship.