As Russia is unlikely to join NATO, it is imperative to find a modus vivendi and modus operandi that can balance two opposing elements that mark European security relations: foundational controversies versus the need for cooperation based on interdependencies.
Uzbekistan’s decision to suspend its CSTO membership reflects the changing geostrategic landscape of Central Asia. It should also lead the region to reflect on its current collective security arrangements.
With so much focus placed on China, it has become easy to forget another great East Asian power – Russia. The Kremlin plans to get back its naval power, to do it efficiently, and to become geopolitically relevant once more.
Putin will remain in power until 2024, barring assassination or revolution, and will become Russia’s longest ruling leader since Stalin. He is not known for his willingness to compromise or surrender Russia’s imperial gains, suggesting that a new time of troubles is looming on the horizon. This will indicate whether the West still sees Russia as a political part of Europe or has concluded that the country cannot be changed and the days of democratization have become a historical footnote.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia endured a difficult rebirth into a unipolar world order where it struggled to find a place. Dr. Nicolai Petro traces the journey the nation’s governments have made since this painful transition and looks to the continuing evolution of Russia’s diplomatic identity.
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