Poltorakov, A. Yu. ‘European Identity’ as a Factor for Regional Integration: Geopolitical and Geo Cultural Aspects of Security

Abstract: Elections for the European Parliament have actualized the ‘European Discourse’ amid the geo-economical crisis. In its turn, it aggravated the problem of identity and values (which are based on the latter). In the context of world development megatrends (starting from the tragedy which took place on September 11, 2001), these problems acquire a special direction towards “security”, thus combining geopolitical and ‘geo cultural’ aspects. Usage of the terms ‘European identity’ and ‘European values’ in the geopolitical discourse shows that there is an immanent geo cultural element occurring in relations with NATO and EC including the sphere of security. Discordance to ‘European identity’ is one of the factors making Turkey’s relations with EC and partly NATO more difficult. Similar situation occurs in relations between the West of Russia and the Ukraine. Key words: political science, Europe, identity, values, geo culture, geopolitics, security, integration, region, civilization