Commentary
The war in Ukraine is costing Russia its leverage overseas. Across the South Caucasus and Middle East, this presents an opportunity for Europe to pick up the pieces and claim its own sphere of influence.
William Dixon, Maksym Beznosiuk
{
"authors": [],
"type": "pressRelease",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "russia",
"programs": [
"Russia and Eurasia"
],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"Caucasus",
"Russia"
],
"topics": [
"Political Reform",
"Foreign Policy"
]
}
REQUIRED IMAGE
Press Release
U.S.–Russia relations cannot improve unless Russia reforms
The “reset” in U.S.–Russian relations has come with closer cooperation on arms control, Afghanistan, and Iran. But as long as Russia’s system of personalized power rests on anti-Western principles, a true reset is unattainable.
Published on Sep 9, 2010
WASHINGTON, September 9—The “reset” in U.S.–Russian relations has come with closer cooperation on arms control, Afghanistan, and Iran. But as long as Russia’s system of personalized power rests on anti-Western principles, a true reset is unattainable, writes Lilia Shevtsova.
In her new book Lonely Power, Shevtsova analyzes how Russia’s political system resists change and how the West hinders Russia’s transition to a democracy by accommodating its current leaders. Only political transformation in Russia can bring about the true shift in relations the West desires.
Key conclusions:
- The U.S. “reset” is failing. The United States has secured only limited and temporary cooperation from Russia on key U.S. priorities.
- Europe is unable to act as one. Moscow prefers to ignore the European Union and instead uses bilateral relations to gain tactical advantages.
- Russia’s leaders try to use the West to reinvigorate the old system. President Medvedev’s modernization mantra bears no relation to reality and a veneer of democracy is used to protect an autocratic rule that is becoming more repressive.
- Russians want change. While there are no insurmountable barriers for Russia’s path toward freedom, the West is hindering the reform process desired by many Russians by ignoring undemocratic practices.
Key recommendations for the West:
- Hold Russia’s elite accountable. While only Russians can truly reform their country, incentives from the West can help encourage democratic behavior at home.
- Think of Russia as a challenge. Developing a comprehensive long-term strategy toward Russia will not only help Russia integrate into the West, but also reinvigorate the West’s moral standing.
- Encourage democratic transformation in the area. By promoting democracy and prosperity in the newly independent states neighboring Russia, the West can help establish an environment that fosters Russian reform.
###
NOTES
- Click here to order the book online.
- Lilia Shevtsova is a senior associate at the Carnegie Moscow Center, where she chairs the Russian Domestic Politics and Political Institutions Program. She is also associate fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House). Her previous books include Yeltsin’s Russia: Myths and Reality, Putin’s Russia, and Russia: Lost in Transition.
- The Carnegie Moscow Center was established in 1993 and accommodates foreign and Russian researchers collaborating with Carnegie’s global network of scholars on a broad range of contemporary policy issues relevant to Russia—military, political, and economic.
- The Carnegie Russia and Eurasia Program has, since the end of the Cold War, led the field on Eurasian security, including strategic nuclear weapons and nonproliferation, development, economic and social issues, governance, and the rule of law.
- Press Contact: Kendra Galante, 202-939-2233, pressoffice@ceip.org
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Russia’s Imperial Retreat Is Europe’s Strategic Opportunity
- Is the Radical-Right Threat Existential or Overstated?Commentary
Amid increased polarization and the influence of disinformation, radical-right parties are once again gaining traction across Europe. With landmark elections on the horizon in several countries, are the EU’s geostrategic vision and fundamental values under existential threat?
Catherine Fieschi, Cas Mudde
- Tokayev’s New Constitution Is a Bet on Stability—At Freedom’s ExpenseCommentary
Kazakhstan’s new constitution is an embodiment of the ruling elite’s fears and a self-serving attempt to preserve the status quo while they still can.
Serik Beysembaev
- The Nuances of Oscar-Winning Film “Mr. Nobody Against Putin”Commentary
It’s disingenuous to criticize a film for simplifying Russia’s complexities when Russia is waging a brutally simple war of aggression against its neighbor.
Alexander Baunov
- Belligerent and Beleaguered: Russia After the War with UkrainePaper
No matter how its war against Ukraine ends, Russia will emerge less secure, more aggrieved, and posing a greater threat to Europe than it did when it started this war.
Eugene Rumer
