NEWSWATCH New York Times/Andrei Kozyrev: Russia’s Coming Regime Change
Writing in The New York Times, former Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev addresses the future of Russian governance in the face of multiple economic, political and international challenges.
The firmness of the West in protecting the sovereignty of Ukraine and restoring its territorial integrity is a prerequisite not only to rein in the Kremlin’s aggressive impulses, but also to engage Russia in a constructive dialogue on a broad agenda. This could extend to arms control and confidence-building measures to reduce the risk of war. … any negotiations must start from the position that nuclear threats are unacceptable and counterproductive.
Regime change in Russia is inevitable, maybe imminent. But the West should not bet on that eventuality or make it a policy goal. The Russian people will rise up again, but the path to a sustainable democracy and stable economy will be challenging. The West should be ready to help then.
What the Western democracies must do now, for Russia and for themselves, is prove that they will defend their values and international law.