
Dr. Yegor Gaidar speaks on Russia's economic and political future. Listen to audio from the event.

A special lecture by Strobe Talbott. Carnegie President Jessica T. Mathews moderates the discussion. Listen to audio from the event.

Russia, in the years since the 1998 financial crisis, has achieved impressive economic growth, a large fiscal surplus, and clearer, more transparent "rules of the game," which allow a sustainable economic recovery. Yet foreign direct investment remains too low. Russia has made noteworthy progress in many areas, but major reforms are still necessary to attract investors to return.

The precipitous decline of Russian power and influence in the world may stand as the most significant development for international relations of the last quarter of the 20th century. Never in modern history has a great power fallen so far so fast during peacetime.

As part of its Path to the Summit series, the Carnegie Endowment hosted a special briefing in advance of the Bush-Putin meeting. Audio is available.
On Thursday, May 16, Carnegie Senior Associate Martha Brill Olcott chaired a discussion with Dr. Vladimir Mau on "Contemporary Russia: Revolutionary Past and Post-Industrial Future." Dr. Mau is a prolific writer, economist, and commentator. He is the recent co-author of the highly received, The Challenge of Revolution (Oxford University Press, 2001 with Irina Starodubrovskaia).
The United States and Russia are finalizing a strategic arms reduction agreement in time for the summit meeting of Presidents Bush and Putin in Russia on May 23-24. The agreement is a welcome change from the Administration's previous insistence on unbridled unilateral flexibility in strategic policy.