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.
interview

CIA Director Burns on Ukraine: ‘We’re Running Out of Time to Help Them’

George W. Bush Presidential Center April 25, 2024 Recommended Reads
William Burns sat down with David Kramer at the George W. Bush Presidential Center Forum on Leadership to discuss Russia, the Middle East, U.S. competition with China and the role of emerging technologies in the world of intelligence.
survey

Expert Survey: Does Russia’s Presidential Election Matter to US and Its Allies?

RM Staff March 15, 2024 RM Exclusives
Some Western Russia experts agree that despite Putin's inevitable victory, the election can still offer clues about the challenges the Kremlin faces, as well as the extent of anti-war sentiment among Russians.
interview

Mearsheimer on Where the Ukraine War Is Headed

RM Staff March 14, 2024 RM Exclusives
On a recent episode of the “Daniel Davis Deep Dive” podcast, John Mearsheimer has claimed that he considers “ridiculous” the idea that Ukraine will be able to take the offensive in 2024 or 2025.
interview

Stephen Hadley on the Major Challenges Facing the United States Today

Stephen J. Hadley and Dr. Karen Donfried November 14, 2023 Partner Posts
book review

Thomas Graham on Why and How America Should Start Getting Russia Right

Simon Saradzhyan October 19, 2023 RM Exclusives
The U.S. needs to get Russia right, which requires America to see Russia “plainly and without sentiment,” Graham writes in his new book.
survey

Expert Survey: Should US Offer Ukraine Security Guarantees?

RM Staff August 04, 2023 RM Exclusives
While some believe the answer is an unequivocal yes, others argue there are no easy answers and call for caution. Check out our survey of some of America’s most prominent experts on post-Soviet Eurasia for more.
book review

‘Accidental Czar’: A Creative Take on the Putin Biography

José Alaniz December 07, 2022 RM Exclusives
Andrew S. Weiss and cartoonist Brian “Box” Brown’s first-ever graphic biography does not add anything new in terms of content, but rather makes its subject accessible to a different, wider readership.
book review

A New Putin Biography: Rich Stories of Early Life, and Some Needless America Bashing

Paul Saunders October 26, 2022 RM Exclusives
Despite some shortcomings, Philip Short’s new biography “Putin” is valuable to anyone eager to learn more about Russia’s leader.
interview

Graham Allison: ‘Time to Search for an Off-Ramp’ in Ukraine

Fyodor Lukyanov October 21, 2022 Recommended Reads
In this interview with Fyodor Lukyanov, Harvard political scientist and expert on the Cuban missile crisis Graham Allison says the sides have escalated far enough.
interview

Fiona Hill: Putin’s Running Out of Time

Foreign Policy July 14, 2022 Recommended Reads
In this interview, the former White House Russia adviser says Putin wants the Ukraine conflict over with.
survey

Survey: What Would a Le Pen Presidency Mean for France’s Policy Toward Russia?

RM Staff April 20, 2022 RM Exclusives
The nationalist firebrand who has recently "put water in her vodka" and considerably toned down her anti-EU rhetoric is well known for cultivating warm ties with Vladimir Putin's Russia.
book review

Negotiators, Take Heed: Whether You’re Talking With Russia or Others, New Book Is Master Class on Working Your Way to a Deal

Olga Oliker April 06, 2022 RM Exclusives
A striking aspect of Rose Gottemoeller’s story of New START is that she and her team faced as many challenges from the U.S. as from their Russian counterparts.