RUSSIA NEWS & INFORMATION – Johnson’s Russia List contents & links :: JRL 2021-#106 :: Friday, 21 May 2021

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2021-#106 :: Friday, 21 May 2021
A project sponsored through the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. The contents do not necessarily represent the views of IERES or The George Washington University.
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1. Intellinews: Ben Aris, Russia and U.S. to kiss and make up? Blinken and Lavrov meeting in Reykjavik.
2. rt.com: Russia is ‘ready to be friends with West,’ Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declares, but only if Moscow is treated ‘with dignity’ – rt.com/russia/524434-lavrov-west-policy-statement-new-knowledge/
3. The National Interest: Nikolas K. Gvosdev, Can the Reykjavik Meeting Really Improve U.S.-Russia Ties? A temporary breathing space does not portend a major shift in the relationship. The real question is whether Biden and Putin are prepared to bargain.
4. Responsible Statecraft: Anatol Lieven, What to make of the Blinken-Lavrov ‘showdown’ in Iceland. The two men represent two countries with a lot of tensions right now — but also areas of real potential cooperation.
5. Asia Times: Pepe Escobar, A little less conversation, a little more action. US-Russian top envoy meeting in Iceland could set the stage for Putin-Biden summit next month in Europe.
6. Interfax: Putin denies militarization of Russian economy, says ‘everyone trying to nibble will be kicked in teeth’
7. Kremlin.ru: Meeting of the Russian Pobeda (Victory) Organising Committee. (excerpt)
– en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/65618
8. rt.com: ‘The worst city in Europe for vaccinations’: Moscow’s mayor frustrated at lack of rush to get Covid-19 jabs in Russian capital – rt.com/russia/524407-moscow-mayor-vaccination-low-rate/
9. Moscow Times: Russia’s Ex-PM Medvedev Backs Mandatory Vaccination.
10. Irrussianality: Paul Robinson, RUSSIA’S FUTILE EXTREMIST LAW – irrussianality.wordpress.com/2021/05/20/russias-futile-extremist-law/
11. Financial Times: Russia issues €1.5bn bond as tensions between Moscow and Washington ease
12. rt.com: Investors can’t get enough of Russian bonds targeted by U.S. sanctions – rt.com/business/524404-russia-eurobonds-us-sanctions/
13. Wall Street Journal: Teslas Made in Russia? Elon Musk Says It’s Possible. Tesla CEO says electric-vehicle maker is considering opening a factory in Russia.
14. America Committee for U.S.-Russia Accord: David Speedie, The US is playing catch-up in the Arctic
15. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Paul Stronski, What Is Russia Doing in the Black Sea?
16. Politics Today: Sergey Sukhankin, The Great Turan: Russia’s Concerns about Turkey’s Growing Reputation in Caucasus and Central Asia. Russian experts admit that the Great Turan project is gaining popularity in the Turkic-speaking world, profoundly amplified by Turkey’s military successes and growing assertiveness.
17. Eurasianet.org: Armenia close to new agreement with Azerbaijan. Acting prime minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed that the two sides are close to an agreement, which reportedly could involve additional territorial concessions.
18. Dmitri Glinski, THE INCONVENIENT SAKHAROV. His legacy is a moral challenge to the Kremlin, to Western elites and to many of Russia’s oppositionists.
19. rt.com: US regime-change agency NED admits its role in the strife in Belarus, but leaked documents also implicate the UK Foreign Office – rt.com/russia/524296-western-meddling-belarus-power-change/ – rt.com/russia/524296-western-meddling-belarus-power-change/
20. Bloomberg: Biden Shift Brings Nord Stream 2 Closer, But Hurdles Remain
21. The Hill: Thomas Graham and Joseph Haberman, How to turn Nord Stream 2 into a win for Ukraine
22. Moon of Alabama: Note To Greenwald – The ‘Russian’ Pipeline Is A Germany Need – moonofalabama.org/2021/05/note-to-greenwald-the-russian-pipeline-is-a-germany-need-.html#more
23. realclearpolitics.com: J. Peder Zane, Peddlers of Russiagate Won’t Take Truth for an Answer
24. Blogger.com: Mary Dejevsky: A WINDOW ON UK RUSSIA POLICY – A RESPONSE TO CHATHAM HOUSE ‘MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS IN THE DEBATE ON RUSSIA’

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