Analysis

This listing contains all the analytical materials posted on the Russia Matters website. These include: RM Exclusives, commissioned by Russia Matters exclusively for this website; Recommended Reads, deemed particularly noteworthy by our editorial team; Partner Posts, originally published by our partners elsewhere; and Future Policy Leaders, pieces by promising young scholars and policy thinkers. Content can be filtered by genre and subject-specific criteria and is updated often. Gradually we will be adding older Recommended Reads and Partner Posts dating back as far as 2011.
explainer

25 Years of Nuclear Security Cooperation by the US, Russia and Other Newly Independent States: A Timeline

Mariana Budjeryn, Simon Saradzhyan and William Tobey June 16, 2017 RM Exclusives
At a time when the U.S. and the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union still saw each other as mortal enemies, they found the courage, creativity and capacity for trust to work together in the name of preventing nuclear catastrophe.
article

For Washington, Russia Makes Afghanistan Mess Even Messier

Jeffrey Mankoff June 14, 2017 RM Exclusives
As U.S. military efforts meet with little success, Russia has taken a much more active approach to Afghanistan, building bridges with the Taliban and hoping to enhance its role in the region.
Competing Views on Russia

Brzezinski on Russia: Insights and Recommendations

RM Staff June 01, 2017 RM Exclusives
The former presidential advisor on national security retained a deep skepticism about Russia’s aims and intentions, even when calling on the U.S. to integrate it into the West.
article

Snapshot Analysis: Trump, NATO, Russia

Nikolas K. Gvosdev May 26, 2017 RM Exclusives
The U.S. president has left officials in Brussels, Moscow and even Washington guessing whether there has been a fundamental shift in how the White House sees NATO’s focus and mission.
article

As China Rises, Russia Tries to Make the Best of a Tough Situation

Jeanne L. Wilson May 19, 2017 RM Exclusives
Beijing’s giant trade and transit initiative, called One Belt, One Road, symbolizes a shifting balance of global power, and Moscow is casting about for a decent spot in the new order.
article

A Sino-Russian Military-Political Alliance Would Be Bad News for America

Simon Saradzhyan May 12, 2017 RM Exclusives
Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing signals growing Russian support for China’s OBOR initiative and even the far-off prospect of a Sino-Russian alliance. America would be wise to gently pull Moscow from Beijing’s embrace.
article

A Strategy for (Modestly Increasing the Chance of) Saving the INF Treaty

James M. Acton May 11, 2017 RM Exclusives
While it’s highly unlikely that Russia will return to compliance with the INF Treaty, the U.S. should make every effort to save the agreement by creating three realities that Moscow can’t ignore.
article

In France, Would a Macron Victory Spell Defeat for Putin? Or a Shift to ‘Multipolarity’?

Mathew Burrows May 05, 2017 RM Exclusives
Russia will not necessarily suffer from a Macron victory in France. In fact, if it’s willing to accept a stronger Europe, it may get a bit of the multipolarity and pragmatism it has long sought.
article

Snapshot Analysis: Putin’s Overture to Trump on Syria

Simon Saradzhyan May 03, 2017 RM Exclusives
In proposing safe zones, Russia wants to woo the U.S. into better coordination of diplomatic efforts to resolve the Syria conflict. The plan has already brought some dividends.
article

Russia and America Don’t Need Each Other as Enemies

Paul Saunders April 27, 2017 RM Exclusives
The idea that they do is as dangerous as it is convenient.
explainer

Russian Defense Spending: Tricky Math

Olga Oliker April 26, 2017 RM Exclusives
With Russia flexing its military muscle, analysts are increasingly interested in how much Moscow is spending on weapons. This explainer lays out the factors that make those numbers hard to crunch.
article

Russia Looks Out for Own Interests in Europe’s Elections But Risks Long-Term Blowback

Yuval Weber April 19, 2017 RM Exclusives
Liberals worry about Russian meddling in elections from France to Bulgaria. But Moscow didn’t create Euro-skepticism; it's just good at exploiting existing fissures in Western societies—and has been for a long time. Here's where that may lead.
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