Hamburg–Saint Petersburg, Sanit Petersburg–Nice: Scenarios for the stability of twinning under stress

Erik Vlaemnick,Olga Pustoshinskaya

doi:10.14746/pp.2021.26.4.3

Abstract

Against the background of the global COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing geopolitical tensions between the Russian Federation and the West, this chapter engages with the dynamics of European-Russia city diplomacy in times of crisis. By means of two representative case studies of existing twinning cities, namely Hamburg–Saint Petersburg on the one hand, and Nice–Saint Petersburg on the other, this chapter explores the evolution of twinning relations during the politically sensitive times. While paying attention to the legal bases and the historic evolution of selected cases of city cooperation, the authors identify major tendencies as well as opportunities in the field of city twinning and engage with the so-called digital turn in city diplomacy which has manifested itself since the start of the global health crisis in early 2020.

Highlights

Against the background of the global COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing geopolitical tensions between the Russian Federation and the West, this chapter engages with the dynamics of European-Russia city diplomacy in times of crisis
It is acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic poses many threats and challenges to the system of international relations
According to the Russian Constitution, Saint Petersburg is a city of federal significance (RF State Duma, 1993), and, its strategy in the field of international relations is subject to the imperative of the 1999 law

Summary

Emperical base and methods

The purpose of the article is to shed a light on the state of affairs of twinning before and during crisis situations by comparing two case studies, namely, Saint Petersburg and Hamburg as well as Saint Petersburg and Nice. Hamburg and Nice have a broader range of authorities in terms of international activities than Saint Petersburg. According to the Russian Constitution, Saint Petersburg is a city of federal significance (RF State Duma, 1993), and, its strategy in the field of international relations is subject to the imperative of the 1999 law. This legal act establishes the limitation of the sovereignty of the regions with the domination of the center in designated issues. The attractiveness is well-captured at the level of marketing which defines the citys value as the “Pearl of the French Riviera,” “City Park” or “Smart City” (Bnppre.fr, 2020)

Twinning of Hamburg and Saint Petersburg

Twinning of Saint Petersburg and Nice

Conclusion