The article deals with the processes of digitalization of the economies of Russia and the European Union and their comparative analysis. The authors compare the time frame, industry trends, functional features and problems of the digital economy and wonder how compatible are the emerging digital infrastructures in Russia and the EU. The potential of digitalization as a binding element for the economies of Russia and the EU, as well as the foundation for building a new pragmatic partnerships is analyzed. It is stated that there is a significant technical potential for cooperation in the field under consideration, but its implementation requires joint efforts both to overcome differences in political approaches and to develop organizational forms to transform the digital economy into a space of interaction between Russia and the EU.