What is the US' foreign policy objective with respect to Russia? Do we want them to join the EU?

[FarCenter]

Obviously they would have to reform their business practices, rule of law, and politics to be as corruption free and democratic as, for example, Turkey.

Last I heard, we supported Turkey's accession to the EU, although several EU countries have demurred.

[Democracyinkind]

1. Same as ever: containment.

Preferably containment starting at the border of Russia proper, not that of a client state. Containment always roughly translated to denying a Russian sphere of influence more than containing an ideology or system of governance.

Our rulers are still rabid McKinderites, on both sides of the Atlantic.

[FarCenter]

2. Halford Mackinder I would guess -- Thanks for the reference

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halford_Mackinder

His next major work, Democratic Ideals and Reality: A Study in the Politics of Reconstruction, appeared in 1919. It presented his theory of the Heartland and made a case for fully taking into account geopolitical factors at the Paris Peace conference and contrasted (geographical) reality with Woodrow Wilson's idealism. The book's most famous quote was: "Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland; Who rules the Heartland commands the World Island; Who rules the World Island commands the World." This message was composed to convince the world statesmen at the Paris Peace conference of the crucial importance of Eastern Europe as the strategic route to the Heartland was interpreted as requiring a strip of buffer state to separate Germany and Russia. These were created by the peace negotiators but proved to be ineffective bulwarks in 1939 (although this may be seen as a failure of other, later statesmen during the interbellum). The principal concern of his work was to warn of the possibility of another major war (a warning also given by economist John Maynard Keynes).

Mackinder was anti-Bolshevik, and as British High Commissioner in Southern Russia in late 1919 and early 1920, he stressed the need for Britain to continue her support to the White Russian forces, which he attempted to unite.

Democratic Ideals and Reality: A Study in the Politics of Reconstruction is available on line.
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Democratic_Ideals_and_Reality:_A_Study_in_the_Politics_of_Reconstruction

Thanks again for the pointer. ‎

[Sunlei]

3. That's up to the "European Union" here is the current status

there's a drop down menu right side with status of relations for all countries. Looks like Russia sells gas and oil to the EU.

http://europa.eu/index_en.htm