The Implications of Putin's Return

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In The Media

The Implications of Putin's Return

If Russian Prime Minister Putin is elected Russia’s next president, it will likely not have a significant impact on the success of the reset in U.S.-Russian bilateral relations.

By Matthew Rojansky

Published on Sep 26, 2011

Source: Reuters Insider

Speaking to Reuters Insider, Carnegie’s Matthew Rojansky examined the implications of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s decision to regain the presidency for the reset of U.S.-Russian relations. “We will not see a rollback on any big direction the ‘reset’ has taken,” Rojansky argued. “What we are going to see is a difference in personal rapport between the two leaders, Obama and Putin.”

Rojansky added that although the leadership shuffle in Moscow will not result in any strategic-level policy changes on either side, it is possible that Putin's announcement will cause a lame-duck transition period before the presidential elections, where the Russian officials will be leery of any active cooperation with the United States because such steps could be politically sensitive.

About the Author

Matthew Rojansky

Former Deputy Director, Russia and Eurasia Program

Rojansky, formerly executive director of the Partnership for a Secure America, is an expert on U.S. and Russian national security and nuclear-weapon policies.

Recent Work

Paper
An Opportunity for Ambition: Ukraine’s OSCE Chairmanship
- Matthew Rojansky
In The Media
Presiding Over the OSCE: Challenges and Opportunities
- Matthew Rojansky

Political Reform Foreign Policy North America United States Caucasus Russia

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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