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Source: Getty

In The Media
Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

What We Can Learn About Russia

Unlike what has recently been alleged, the world is not experiencing a new Cold War. Today’s chill in U.S.-Russia relations rests on Russia’s belief that what is good for the West is inherently bad for Russia. Jumping headlong into a confrontation would be a bad idea though for the West. Instead, Western leaders should show that we can gain more from partnership.

Link Copied
By Sam Greene
Published on Aug 26, 2008

Source: Forbes.com

Sam Greene notes in an article for Forbes.com that there are several lessons that the West can take away from observing Russia’s reaction to the Russia-Georgia crisis. First, it has become evident that little has changed in Russia with the arrival of the country's new president, Dmitry Medvedev. Additionally, the weakness of Russia's non-military foreign policy tools have also been made more pronounced. Finally, it has also become clear that the Kremlin has a fundamentally different understanding of how the world works, one that's grounded in an extreme realpolitik that views international relations as a zero-sum game. In this view, trust is a worthless commodity, compromise can bring no added value and a premium is placed on tactical victories.

However, what has also come out of this conflict is that unlike what has recently been alleged, the world is not experiencing a new Cold War. Rather than an attempt to impose its political system on others, today’s chill in U.S.-Russia relations rests on Russia’s belief that what is good for the West is inherently bad for Russia. The West, though, should resist the temptation to jump headlong into a confrontation with Russia. Instead, Western leaders should show that we can gain more from partnership rather than a renewed standoff.

Click here to read the full article

About the Author

Sam Greene

Former Deputy Director for Operations, Moscow Center

Sam Greene was a deputy director for operations at the Moscow Center. He joined the Moscow Center in 2005. Previously, he was senior media program advisor for the New Eurasia Foundation, and a London and Moscow correspondent for FT Business.

    Recent Work

  • Other
    Russia in Mid-2011
      • +1

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    Mr. Medvedev, Mr. Putin, Beware the Ides of March!

      Sam Greene

Sam Greene
Former Deputy Director for Operations, Moscow Center
Sam Greene
Foreign PolicyNorth AmericaUnited StatesCaucasusRussia

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.

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