• Research
  • Politika
  • About
Carnegie Russia Eurasia center logoCarnegie lettermark logo
  • Donate
{
  "authors": [
    "Andrew S. Weiss"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
    "Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center",
    "Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "russia",
  "programs": [
    "Russia and Eurasia"
  ],
  "projects": [
    "Eurasia in Transition"
  ],
  "regions": [
    "North America",
    "United States",
    "Middle East",
    "Syria",
    "Russia",
    "Levant"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Foreign Policy",
    "Global Governance"
  ]
}

Source: Getty

In The Media

Reading Between the Lines of Putin’s Op-Ed

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s New York Times op-ed does not complicate international negotiations over Syria’s chemical weapons. Contrary to common perceptions, Putin is pragmatic and capable of making deals.

Link Copied
By Andrew S. Weiss
Published on Sep 12, 2013
Project hero Image

Project

Eurasia in Transition

Learn More

Source: Bloomberg TV

Speaking on Bloomberg TV’s Taking Stock, Carnegie’s Andrew Weiss said that Vladimir Putin’s op-ed in the New York Times does not complicate Secretary of State John Kerry’s negotions over Syria's chemical weapons, as President Putin and other Russian officials have previously made statements similar to the ones in the op-ed. More important than the op-ed, Weiss suggested, is the question of what Russian negotiators will sign on to and what Putin will realistically be able to get Bashar al-Assad to do regarding his chemical weapons. Weiss emphasized that, contrary to popular perception, Vladimir Putin is not a “Soviet retread,” but a pragmatic figure capable of cutting deals.

This interview was originally broadcast on Bloomberg TV.

About the Author

Andrew S. Weiss

James Family Chair, Vice President for Studies

Andrew S. Weiss is the James Family Chair and vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he oversees research on Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia. His graphic novel biography of Vladimir Putin, Accidental Czar: the Life and Lies of Vladimir Putin, was published by First Second/Macmillan in 2022.

    Recent Work

  • Q&A
    Is the Russia-Ukraine War Vibe Shift Real?

      Dara Massicot, Aaron David Miller, Andrew S. Weiss

  • Research
    Russia in Africa: Examining Moscow’s Influence and Its Limits
      • Nate Reynolds
      • +11

      Frances Z. Brown, Nate Reynolds, Priyal Singh, …

Andrew S. Weiss
James Family Chair, Vice President for Studies
Andrew S. Weiss
Foreign PolicyGlobal GovernanceNorth AmericaUnited StatesMiddle EastSyriaRussiaLevant

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 Russia Eurasia Center

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Why Has Tokyo’s Response to Kremlin Challenges Been So Muted?

    Japan’s long-term security policy is driven by concerns about China, and there is little appetite for (or interest in) pursuing a confrontation with Moscow.  

      James D.J. Brown

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    The Future of Russian-European Relations Is Bleak

    The truth of the strategic situation is that Europe and Russia are extremely unlikely to be able to “turn the page” on their confrontation within the next two decades.

      Arkady Moshes

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Ukrainian Drone Attacks Reveal the Cost of Russia’s “Sovereign Internet” Campaign

    Russia spent years building a “sovereign internet,” concentrating web infrastructure exclusively within Russian territory. Ukrainian drone attacks have shown how vulnerable that approach has left the Russian internet.

      Maria Kolomychenko

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    How the Latest Election Changed the Role of Russia’s Parliament

    Putin’s conservative staffing policies and search for ever greater control have cemented parliament’s transformation into a bureaucratic appendage of the executive branch.

      Andrey Pertsev

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    In the Kremlin’s AI Propaganda Blitz, the Noise Is the Signal

    Russia’s AI-driven propaganda campaigns operate in a fragmented, chaotic, and often illogical manner. That’s not necessarily a problem for the Kremlin, though: It’s much easier to mimic genuine public debate that way.

      Ilya Klishin

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
Carnegie Russia Eurasia logo, white
  • Research
  • Politika
  • About
  • Experts
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • For Media
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.