Potential Fruits of the Biden-Putin Summit
… More than a decade has passed since that meeting in Russia, and there are no indications that Biden’s and Putin’s views of each other have become less dim […]
» Read moreCategory: United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
RUSSIALINK: “IMEMO Director Feodor Voitolovsky: A new system of coordinates is a challenge for the modern world order” – Interfax
(Interfax – May 31, 2021) The Primakov Readings, organized by the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, will take place in Moscow on June 8-9. The topic of the 2021 readings is “Challenges to the Contemporary World Order”. Interfax is an information partner of the Primakov Readings 2021. IMEMO Director Feodor Voitolovsky […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “What Does a Successful Biden-Putin Summit Look Like? Not What You Think” – CEPA/ Kurt Volker
There can be no accommodation unless and until Russian aggression ends and it returns to the rules-based order […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia Cuts Dollar Holdings From $119 Billion Wealth Fund Amid Sanctions” – Bloomberg
“Russia said it will eliminate the dollar from its oil fund [the National Wellbeing Fund] to reduce vulnerability to Western sanctions …. The wealth fund currently holds 35% of its liquid assets in dollars, … about $41.5 billion, with the same amount in euros and the rest spread across yuan, gold, yen and pounds. After the change, the fund’s assets […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Russia to Expand Anti-Magnitsky Sanctions Worldwide, Keep U.S. Adoption Ban” – Moscow Times
Russia is seeking to expand wide-ranging sanctions it adopted in response to a U.S. human rights abuse law […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Russian elite hope Biden summit will boost foreign ties” – Financial Times
“Better western relations are high on the wishlist at annual St. Petersburg forum, the country’s answer to Davos.” “… Biden and Putin will meet in Geneva … June 16 … at a summit pitched at ‘normalising’ relations between the west and Moscow. Ties have steadily eroded … the past seven years because of allegations of Russian election meddling, tit-for-tat sanctions […]
» Read moreAmid A Disinformation Cacophony From Minsk, Analysts Say ‘Putin Benefits’
… The cacophony of leaks and claims has also helped muddy the waters around the events of May 23, making it increasingly difficult to untangle fact from fiction […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Biggest Navy Exercise in a Generation Will Include 25,000 Personnel Across 17 Time Zones” – Military.com
“Tens of thousands of sailors and Marines will participate in the biggest U.S. naval exercise in a generation to test how the services will fight across vast distances as they prepare for possible conflict with China or Russia. Aircraft carriers, submarines, planes, unmanned vessels, and about 25,000 personnel will participate in Large Scale Exercise 2021 … [beginning] late summer. … […]
» Read morePutin’s Aggressiveness Uniting West against Russia and Powering Its Search for Modus Vivendi with China, Shevtsova Says
Putin’s aggressively anti-Western posture is helping the West to recover its lost self-discipline and unity […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Russian Military Seeks to Outmuscle U.S. in Arctic” – Wall Street Journal
“For Moscow it is the last geopolitical battleground where it holds the advantage over Washington and Beijing” “… [N]ew and refurbished bases [are] meant to service the Kremlin’s ambitions in the resource-rich Arctic. … combined to form a new military district … under … the Northern Fleet, Russia’s foremost Arctic naval force[] … [with fleet] headquarters … on the Kola […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Arctic-Superpower Jostling Heats Up as Russia Takes on Key Role” – Bloomberg
“Russia’s Sergei Lavrov claimed this week that ‘this is our land and our waters’ as NATO allies boost military activity” “… Russian and U.S. diplomats … [signal] rising tensions between [powers] racing to seize Arctic resources …. Arctic Council [participants] weren’t due to discuss security. But … Russia’s … Sergei Lavrov declared … the Arctic ‘is our land and our […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Google Files First Lawsuit Against Russia’s Internet Censor” – Moscow Times
… The company filed a lawsuit April 23 against Roskomnadzor in the Moscow Arbitration Court […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine urges Congress to maintain sanctions on Nord Stream 2” – Financial Times
“Completion of pipeline would be ‘victory for Russia’ and a ‘personal loss’ for Biden, says Zelensky.” “Ukraine has stepped up … pressure on Washington over the contentious Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, appealing to … Congress to maintain sanctions against the project. The Ukrainian parliament … overwhelmingly backed a resolution calling on U.S. lawmakers to override […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “China’s top diplomat heads to Russia as ties reach ‘best level in history’” – Financial Times
“Beijing and Moscow sense an opportunity in the face of fading U.S. influence and Covid fallout.” “China’s leading diplomat [Yang Jiechi, head of China’s central committee for foreign affairs,] will travel to Russia … for security talks, the latest sign of deepening [Sino-Russian] ties …. Xi Jinping and … Putin … [recently had a] video-link launch of a nuclear energy […]
» Read moreThe Prospects for U.S.-Russia Climate Engagement Under Moscow’s Chairing of the Arctic Council
… [T]he rotating chairmanship of the Arctic Council … intergovernmental forum … will pass from Iceland to Russia for a two-year term. … [as] the organization grapples with multiple challenges and Russia-West relations have hit another historic low […]
» Read moreDid The West Promise Moscow That NATO Would Not Expand? Well, It’s Complicated.
… And so, more than two decades after NATO’s original 16-member Cold War composition was first enlarged to take in three former Warsaw Pact states, and with Putin poised to potentially stay in office into the 2030s, the past is very much present […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Arctic rivalry heats up among the great powers” – Financial Times
“Friction in other parts of the globe as well as climate change are fueling tensions in the high north.” “… [N]ew or updated [arctic] strategies … have appeared … from Canada, China, the EU, France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the UK[,] [as well as] the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Department of Defense, Department for Homeland Security, […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “We fund Russian democracy protesters, boasts U.S. group” – The Times (UK)
“Senior officials at a U.S. government-funded organisation have been tricked into boasting about helping … pro-democracy movements in Russia and … a ‘modest but significant’ contribution to … protests in Belarus …. [S]tatements by … National Endowment for Democracy (NED) [officials,] … funded by … Congress, are expected to be seized upon by officials in Belarus and Russia as proof […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Time for jaw-to-jaw with Moscow” – The Hill/ E. Wayne Merry
“… Through mutual expulsions of diplomatic staff and other measures, Russia and America are not just in as bad shape for dialogue as in the worst days of the Cold War … but in even worse shape. … This is madness, and … dangerous. … Diplomacy … is the vital business of managing international disputes so they do not produce […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Bullying Russia yearns to be treated as a great power; Vladimir Putin generates suspense in world affairs like some geopolitical Alfred Hitchcock” – Financial Times
“… As Russia’s chief decision maker, Putin’s personal moods obviously matter. However, more important is the logic of the Russian system of power, with its demand for … great power status. According to this logic, Russia cannot be ignored and must be a member of the global concert of powers. It believes macho bullying is the entry ticket …. Despite […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Myths and misconceptions in the debate on Russia: How they affect Western policy, and what can be done” – Chatham House
“This report deconstructs 16 of the most prevalent myths and misconceptions … shap[ing] … Western thinking on Russia. … explain[ing] their detrimental impact on … policy …. Western positions need critical re-examination to ensure more rational and effective responses to Russian actions. … [C]ontrary to wishful thinking … there is little prospect of Russia becoming a more constructive and cooperative […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “The Justice Department’s Resident Conspiracist: Susan Hennessey’s appointment suggests the department will be politicized again” – Wall Street Journal
“… Democrats this week rewarded their own conspiracy theorist with a powerful position at the Justice Department. … Lawfare Executive Editor Susan Hennessey … [says she is joining DOJ’s] National Security Division …. Lawfare began … as a national-security blog, though by the Trump era … [becoming] an unabashed mouthpiece for the [FBI … and [CIA] … partisan enough to […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia expels senior U.S. diplomat and Moscow Embassy spokeswoman as U.S. stops issuing visas to Russians” – bne Intellinews
“… The U.S. embassy confirmed that [official spokeswoman] Rebecca Ross … has been made persona non grata …. Russia has ordered ten diplomats home as a retaliation following … [The April 15] U.S. imposition of sanctions …. The Kremlin has also banned Russian nationals from working at the embassies … of ‘unfriendly countries’ …. [At the large U.S. embassy] about […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin’s Prevarications; The Kremlin is embarked on a campaign of official deceit to shore up its repression” – The Times (UK)
“A regime whose legitimacy depends on lies will inevitably turn to repression …. the habit of … Putin’s rule. …. [H]is regime [also] has engaged in a host of hostile, not defensive, actions against … neighbours and … western democracies. … [And] Putin has defended the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact … even [making] the preposterous claim that Poland started the Second […]
» Read moreArms Control, Security Seen Leading Agenda Of Proposed Putin-Biden Summit
The U.S. ambassador for disarmament says preparations for a possible meeting between … Putin and … Biden are under way […]
» Read moreIn Kyiv, Blinken Calls On Russia To Cease ‘Reckless And Aggressive’ Actions Against Ukraine
… Zelenskiy is expected to push Ukraine’s desire to join the NATO military alliance … [and seek] more military aid from the United States […]
» Read moreStoner’s Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of Russia’s New Strength
… Russia’s power and behavior have drawn increasing attention from policymakers, journalists and scholars. … fuel[ing] discussion and debate surrounding Russia’s capabilities and its government’s aims […]
» Read moreU.S. Doesn’t Accept ‘Spheres Of Influence,’ Blinken Says In Comments Aimed At Russia
(Article text ©2021 RFE/RL, Inc., Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – rferl.org – May 6, 2021 – article text also appeared at rferl.org/a/u-s-doesn-t-accept-spheres-of-influence-blinken-says-in-comments-aimed-at-russia/31241682.html) The United States does not recognize “spheres of influence,” seeing it as an idea “that should have been retired after World War II,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service while on a visit to Kyiv […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “U.S. Embassy to Cut Staff, Most Visas for Russians as Moscow Bans ‘Unfriendly’ Hiring” – Moscow Times
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow said … it will cut most visa services for Russians and eliminate non-emergency consular services for Americans from next month following Moscow’s hiring ban on “unfriendly” countries […]
» Read moreRussians Largely Blame U.S., NATO Allies for Escalation of Tensions Near Ukraine
Almost half of Russians blame the U.S. and its NATO allies for the escalation of tensions in eastern Ukraine, according to … a [Levada Center] poll […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin’s Bid to Ditch Dollar Picks Up as Exports Move to Euro” – Bloomberg
“… [Amidst] Putin’s multi-year push to reduce Russia’s exposure to the dollar … [Russian] exports sold in [dollars] fell below 50% for the first time[,] [m]ost of the [impact] … [coming] from Russia’s trade with China, more than three-quarters of which is now conducted in euros, according to central bank data …. Multiple rounds of sanctions and the constant threat […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia Raises Rates Amid Standoff With West, Signs of Covid-19 Economic Recovery; Central bank increases its main interest rate by 50 basis points to 5%” – Wall Street Journal
“… The Bank of Russia raised its main rate to 5% from 4.5% …. [saying] it expected inflation to be higher than previously anticipated, citing a rebound in demand as Russia’s Covid-19 vaccination program progressed. … The central bank signaled concern about other developments …. follow[ing] [U.S. sanctions] bar[ring] U.S. banks and institutional investors from buying new Russian government ruble-denominated […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Should Russian Banks Be Scared of SWIFT Disconnection?” – Moscow Times
Talk of financial Armageddon should Russia be kicked out of the system may be overblown. (Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Jake Cordell – April 22, 2021) Jake covers business & economics for The Moscow Times. Ukraine has joined the chorus of voices calling for Russia to be disconnected from SWIFT — the financial messaging network that underpins the global banking […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Russian Markets Shrug Off New Sanctions; The ruble and stock market have recovered, but risks remain” – Moscow Times
The U.S. hit Russia with its toughest and broadest sanctions package in three years … banning U.S. financial institutions from buying Russian government debt … expelling 10 diplomats and sanctioning 40 companies and individuals […]
» Read moreDespite Heightened Tensions With Washington, Putin To Speak At U.S. Climate Change Summit
The Kremlin says … Putin will speak later this week at an online summit on climate … organized by the United States […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia: Foreign Policy and U.S. Relations [Excerpt]” – Congressional Research Service
Since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rise to leadership more than 20 years ago, tensions have increased steadily between Russia and the United States […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Russia Says U.S. Troop Pullout from Afghanistan Risks ‘Escalation'” – Moscow Times
Russia said Wednesday that Washington’s plan to pull out troops from Afghanistan by September could lead to an escalation of the long-running conflict and derail peace talks […]
» Read moreU.S. Intel Report Predicts Russia Will Be A Declining But ‘Disruptive Power’ Over Next Two Decades
Russia will likely remain a “disruptive power” for the next two decades, but its global influence may decline in the face of numerous political, economic, and societal headwinds […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin and ‘Consequences’; Putin masses troops near Ukraine in an early test for Biden and the G-7 allies” – Wall Street Journal
“… [T]he world is becoming a more dangerous place by the day. The hottest current spot is Russia’s border with Ukraine and the Black Sea, where the Kremlin has amassed more forces than any time since its invasion of the Donbass …. Putin’s ambitions aren’t clear, though some think he wants to control the entire Black Sea coast, further squeezing […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “U.S. to Send 2 Warships to Black Sea Amid Russia-Ukraine Tension, Turkey Says” – Moscow Times
… The U.S. Navy routinely operates [in] the Black Sea and flies reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace there to monitor Russian naval activity and troop movements […]
» Read moreIn the Wake of SolarWinds: Making and Breaking a Rules-Based Global Cyber Order
Russia Extends Space Cooperation With U.S. Until 2030
The original cooperation agreement, signed in 1992 and extended four times previously, laid the groundwork for wide-ranging, space-related projects and research between NASA and Roskosmos […]
» Read morePunitive Response to SolarWinds Would Be Misplaced, But Cyber Deterrence Still Matters
(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Erica D. Borghard – March 31, 2021) Erica D. Borghard is a senior fellow with the New American Engagement Initiative at the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council. She also serves as a senior director on the U.S. Cyberspace Solarium Commission. This op-ed is part of a new debate from Russia Matters and […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Moscow ready for joint work with Washington on international stability issues, not looking for confrontation – Lavrov” – Interfax
PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY. April 1 (Interfax) – Russia is not looking for confrontation with the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. “We’re not looking for any sort of confrontation. President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has said on multiple occasions, including after the regretful interview given by [U.S. President] Joe Biden to the ABC television channel, that we […]
» Read moreU.S. Report Finds Trend Lines On Human Rights ‘Moving In Wrong Direction’
A U.S. report on human rights around the world highlights a deteriorating picture in many countries, including Belarus … and Russia […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Biden invites Putin, Xi to his first major climate talks” – bne Intellinews
“… Biden … has invited … Putin … and Xi Jinping … to … virtual climate talks. … [scheduled for] 22-23 April. … Some 40 invitations [were sent] to … leaders of … major countries, as well as [some at-risk, low-lying] countries …. If Putin or Xi attend, Biden will have to walk a fine line diplomatically, given claims of […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Russian Envoy Planning U.S. Return After Biden ‘Killer’ Comment” – Moscow Times
Russia’s ambassador to the United States plans to return to Washington soon following talks in Moscow on the future of bilateral ties after … Biden called … Putin a “killer” […]
» Read moreU.S. Response to SolarWinds Cyber Penetrations: A Good Defense Is the Best Offense
According to U.S. officials, Russia is the likely perpetrator of the SolarWinds cyber compromise of federal agencies, private sector firms, NGOs and academic institutions […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Americans More Pessimistic Than Russians on Improving Ties – Poll” – Moscow Times
Russians are on average more optimistic than Americans toward the prospect of warmer relations between the countries, though both remain largely pessimistic, [according to] a new [Levada Center] poll […]
» Read moreCan the Biden Administration Get Russia Policy Right?
(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Thomas Graham – March 18, 2021) In its first two months, the Biden administration has made two central planks of its Russia policy crystal clear: It has no interest in a reset, and Russia is not a priority. The sharp break with President Donald Trump’s aspirations was plainly intended as a message to both the […]
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