RUSSIA NEWS & INFORMATION – Johnson’s Russia List contents & links :: JRL 2022-#6 :: Sunday, 9 January 2022

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2021-#6 :: Sunday, 9 January 2022
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. rt.com: Paul Robinson, Is Putin set on conquering Europe at any cost? By imagining Russia to be uniquely evil, Western commentators misread its every move – rt.com/russia/545385-putin-ukraine-invasion-intentions/
2. Irrussianality: Paul Robinson, THE WORSE THE BETTER – HOW TWITTER VIEWS KAZAKHSTAN – irrussianality.wordpress.com/2022/01/07/the-worse-the-better-how-twitter-views-kazakhstan/#more-6833
3. Responsible Statecraft: Anatol Lieven, Don’t kick the can: two key US proposals for upcoming Russia talks. It seems the administration just wants to soothe (and bluster) but take no concrete actions over Ukraine. It won’t work this time.
4. Wall Street Journal: M.R. Sarotte, The Betrayal Myth Behind Putin’s Brinkmanship. To justify his aggression against Ukraine, the Russian president says that NATO once promised not to expand eastward beyond Germany. The historical record shows otherwise.
5. rt.com: NATO ‘never promised’ not to expand, US claims. A host of long-declassified documents, however, show Moscow was promised bloc wouldn’t admit more states – rt.com/russia/545463-blinken-nato-russia-promise-expand/
6. Atlantic Council: John Herbst, How Kazakhstan could shift Putin’s calculus on Ukraine.
7. Indian Punchline: M.K. Bhadrakumar, Kazakhstan turns into graveyard for U.S. diplomacy – indianpunchline.com/kazakhstan-turns-into-graveyard-for-us-diplomacy/
8. Wall Street Journal editorial: A Dangerous Moment for Europe. What will Biden give Putin to avoid an invasion of Ukraine?
9. Washington Post editorial: The future of Europe hinges on the coming talks between the West and Russia.
10. rt.com: Russia says it will never make concessions under pressure. Moscow “disappointed” with lack of understanding from West ahead of upcoming security talks – rt.com/russia/545492-nato-talks-no-concession-pressure/
11. Moscow Times: Russia rules out concessions at Ukraine talks with U.S.
12. Atlantic Council: Stephen Blank, Appeasing Putin in Ukraine would be disastrous for European security.
13. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov’s interview with the Izvestia newspaper, January 6, 2022 – mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1793236/
14. Atlantic Council: How to deal with the Kremlin-created crisis in Europe.
15. Responsible Statecraft: Bi-partisan coalition urges Biden to resist calls for military action against Russia. Group wants the administration to stick to its pledge of diplomacy, stop NATO expansion, and refuse to send troops to Ukraine.
16. Reuters: Analysis – Bad timing: Kazakhstan intervention presents unwelcome distraction for Putin.
17. The National Interest: Stephen F. Szabo, An Austrian Solution for Ukraine?. It is a time for cold realism rather than an outdated nostalgia for American exceptionalism.
18. The National Interest: Ted Galen Carpenter, NATO Security Dependents Are Not Useful Allies. Many of America’s so-called allies are major liabilities rather than assets to U.S. foreign policy. Indeed, they are potential snares, ones that can entangle America in unnecessary military confrontations.
19. The National Interest: Mark Episkopos, What’s Really Behind the Unrest in Kazakhstan? Mass protests erupted earlier this week in the western Kazakh town of Zhanaozen, ostensibly triggered by sharp increases in fuel prices.
20. Wall Street Journal: U.S. Eyes Financial, Targeted Tech Sanctions as Talks Begin With Russia. Officials likely to steer clear of biggest energy and banking sanctions if Ukraine is invaded.
21. Reuters: U.S. open to talks with Russia on exercises, missile deployments.
22. The White House: Background Press Call by a Senior Administration Official on Russia.
23. New York Times: Left Out of High-Level Talks, Ukraine Tries Other Diplomatic Channels. While the United States and NATO speak with Russia this week, the Ukrainian government has been sidelined and is instead quietly pursuing separate negotiations with Moscow.

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