JRL NEWSWATCH: “A new era in Russia will allow America to rethink its policy” – The Hill/Jeffrey Mankoff
“… the era of ‘High Putinism’ is ending. … Putin ruled out changing the constitution to allow one person to serve more than two terms as president … [but] will almost certainly remain the principal power broker …. Putin could once again become prime minister …. He could also remain the head of the State Council, a consultative body comprising regional governors and vice governors which Putin has proposed giving ‘constitutional status.’ … Russia does seem to be entering a transition period … [with] little incentive to exacerbate an already poisonous relationship with the United States. Putin barely touched on foreign policy and was devoid of the grievances toward the West that characterized many past addresses. … [with] emphasis … on domestic issues such as … education, child care, and other socioeconomic issues … fuel[ing] recent protests. Other signals also suggest that the Kremlin recognizes the danger of pushing its confrontation with the West too far. … Russia will no doubt continue low cost interventions in places such as Libya … [yet] seems unlikely to provoke a major crisis in Europe. …”