Europe doesn't need a new agreement with Russia, just yet

There seems to be a widespread consensus on the fact that the EU would greatly benefit from a new comprehensive agreement with Russia. But after leaders from the two sides left the EU-Russia summit last week yet again without progress on the negotiations of such a deal, the opposite argument may begin to look less unappealing: namely, that the EU is better off without the new agreement, for the time being at least.

The key word of those arguing in favour of the new deal is interdepende...