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For Russia And The West, Some Crossed Signals

For the third year in a row, the G-8 summit is set to be a largely Russian show. At the St. Petersburg meeting in 2006, Russia made its debut as host, showing off its newfound prosperity on a grand scale for the first time. In 2007, in Heiligendamm, Germany, observers watched for signs of Russia's future course during Vladimir Putin's last summit as president. This year, in Hokkaido, all eyes will be on Dmitry Medvedev; they'll be looking for signs of any real difference between his presidency and that of his predecessor. They are not likely to find it.

by Sam Greene

published by

Forbes

on July 7, 2008

Source: Forbes

Sam GreeneUnderlying the G-8 summit in Hokkaido, Japan this week is the tension between the economic and security interests of a resurgent Russia and the West. Sam Greene argues that the West can successfully engage Russia’s new president, Dmitry Medvedev, by helping Russia diversify its economy and tame inflation with integration into international institutions such as the World Trade Organization. He sounds a note of caution about this effort. "To make this effort work, Western leaders must include Russia as an equal partner," Greene writes. "They will have to be careful, however, about where exactly they put that equals sign; recognizing Russia's economic importance need not translate to an endorsement of its political system."

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