OK, US invented the concept first of a confederation of states on a more or less willing association. Then came USSR with the same concept of confederation of states but on a more rather than less will to associate or else. Then hopping in comes EU. Not a confederation of states but a willing association. To me it makes no sense why EU and Russia are not in the same boat. Same values, more or less same people psychologies, only problem is form of government. But I'm confident this gets solved. And we'll have an union from Atlantic to Pacific of more or less Greek / Roman values.
Finding God in all things. They need strength in numbers to offset China and Islam. Russia would rather do business with the west.