This book offers a nuanced and detailed examination of two of the most important current debates about contemporary Russia's international activity: is Moscow acting strategically or opportunistically, and should this be understood in regional or global terms? -- .
It offers an original and powerful argument about Russian power and introduces and discusses the term 'mobilisation' as a central element of the Russian state's actions. It explores the Russian leadership's strategic agenda and illuminates the range of problems it faces in implementing it. -- .
This monograph examines the history of missile defense and the current dialogue from a Russian perspective, in order to explain the root causes of Russian alarm. Specific recommendations for managing the Russia relationship in the context of missile defense are given. Important conclusions are also drawn for the purpose of managing the dialogue over missile defense plans not only with Russia as an opponent, but also with European NATO allies as partners and hosts. The latter are especially significant in the light of these partners' heightened hard security concerns following Russian annexation of Crimea and continuing hostile moves against Ukraine. This analysis was completed before the start of Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014, but already warned of the prospect of direct military action by Russia in Europe in order to protect Moscow's self-perceived interests.
The book critiques mainstream perspectives on Russia, proposing a more nuanced and dynamic model for understanding the country. It reflects on the evolution of Russia studies since the Cold War, highlighting how interpretations have changed and emphasizing the need for a more sophisticated approach to analyzing Russia's complexities.
Focusing on Russia's state mobilization, this Letort Paper delves into how Moscow perceives global threats and the emergency measures being enacted to confront them. It highlights a widening gap between the viewpoints of Washington and Moscow, particularly regarding Euro-Atlantic security issues and conflicts in Libya and Syria. The Russian leadership, led by President Putin, expresses deep concerns about potential regime change efforts targeting Russia, emphasizing the need to learn from recent geopolitical events.
How to handle Russia? This question has become ever more prominent as the Euro-Atlantic community’s relations with Russia languish in systemic crisis, with dialogue suspended, reciprocal sanctions in place and proxy wars raging. The wars in Ukraine and Syria, accusations of Russian interference in domestic politics and the attempted murder of the Skripals on UK soil have all contributed to soaring tension in the relationship. Yet faced with this array of serious challenges, Euro-Atlantic thinking about Russia remains stuck in twentieth-century rhetoric, trapped by misleading abstract labels and unsure whether to engage Moscow in dialogue or enhance deterrence and collective defence. Instead of thinking in these terms, leading Russia expert Andrew Monaghan argues that we must devise a new grand strategy for dealing with the Russians. Examining the ongoing Euro-Atlantic debate over Russia and framing Moscow’s own position towards the West, he sets out the foundations of a forward-looking strategy; one that can accommodate the many complex challenges presented by this new era of competition between Russia, Europe and the United States.
This book offers a crash course in contemporary Russian politics. An updated version of the bestselling 2016 edition, it explores the decline in western relations since the early 2000s, from the disagreements over European security and the war in Syria right up to the invasion of Ukraine. -- .