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.
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NPR 2022 Recognizes Importance of Risk Reduction, Falls Short on Reducing Role of Nukes

Leonor Tomero December 26, 2022 RM Exclusives
The latest Nuclear Posture Review maintains focus on both nuclear modernization and arms control/risk reduction as essential elements of deterrence but, in a way, seems to have broadened the role of nuclear weapons.
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A ‘Nothingburger’ Letter About Ukraine, the Backlash and Washington’s New Groupthink

Peter Beinart November 04, 2022 Recommended Reads
When a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine finally becomes possible, members of Congress will be wary of endorsing it, even if it enjoys Kyiv's tacit support.
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Still ‘No Limits’? The China-Russia Partnership After Samarkand

Elizabeth Wishnick September 22, 2022 RM Exclusives
Despite their many conflicts of interest in Ukraine and elsewhere, Russia and China continue to be bound together, both by geopolitical factors and by their deep need for regime security.
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What Do Americans Care About? Not a Cold War With Russia and China

Katrina vanden Heuvel September 20, 2022 Recommended Reads
Asked about the most urgent issue facing the country today, 27% of Americans—the highest number—ranked inflation as No. 1, while only 2% ranked Ukraine at the top.
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The Case Against a New Arms Race

Rose Gottemoeller August 09, 2022 Recommended Reads
New defense innovations promise not just to transform warfare but also to undermine the logic and utility of nuclear weapons.
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Reviving Arms Control, Post-Ukraine: Why New START Still Matters

Stephen J. Cimbala and Lawrence J. Korb July 13, 2022 Recommended Reads
Will the continuing war in Ukraine and resulting toxic relations between Russia and NATO push nuclear arms control into the dustbin of history?
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Opportunity for Diplomacy: No Russian Attack Before Feb. 20

Graham Allison February 04, 2022 Recommended Reads
Most of the American foreign policy community has still not come to grips with the relationship that has developed between Russia and China in the decade since Xi Jinping became president.
Exploratory Paper

US-Russian Contention in Cyberspace: Are Rules of the Road Necessary or Possible?

Lauren Zabierek, Christie Lawrence, Miles Neumann and Pavel Sharikov June 10, 2021 RM Exclusives
Strategic thinkers in both countries have raised the idea of cyber “rules of the road.” This exploratory paper considers whether such an agreement is feasible, comparing American and Russian perspectives.
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The US-Russia-China Triangle

Sean's Russia Blog June 03, 2021 Partner Posts
In this episode of Sean's Russia Blog, host Sean Guillory talks with Thomas Graham about the new “Cold War,” the United States, Russia and China.
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It’s Better to Deal with China and Russia in Tandem

Thomas Graham and Robert Legvold February 04, 2021 Recommended Reads
Putting China and Russia into policy silos will be counterproductive.
Competing Views on Russia

Victoria Nuland on Russia

Daniel Shapiro February 03, 2021 RM Exclusives
Biden's pick for undersecretary of state for political affairs has held a number of positions related to the post-Soviet space. Check out our compilation for some of Nuland's observations and policy ideas regarding Russia and the U.S.-Russian relationship.
Competing Views on Russia

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on Russia

RM Staff November 09, 2020 RM Exclusives
UPDATED. What have the president-elect and vice president-elect said on the U.S. policies they advocate on key Russia-related issues, as well as their views on Russia itself?