Carnegie Moscow Center
Hillary Rodham Clinton was seen as unwelcome in Russia for her criticism and her attitude, but her work with her Russian counterpart, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, was productive on a range of issues.
Enhancing Russia’s soft power is one of the Kremlin’s goals. However, Russia’s image in the world is often negative, and, to be really attractive, Russia will need to change.
It will be difficult for Washington and Moscow to drag the Syrian regime and opposition to the negotiating table. But for now, the U.S.-Russian effort is the only chance for peace.
After the Boston bombings it should be clearer than ever before that the United States needs fulsome security partnerships with other countries.
The Boston bombing has heightened tensions in Europe and has had repercussions for Russia, especially in light of the need to provide security at the Sochi Olympics.
The North Caucasus, home of a low-level Islamist insurgency, is easily Europe’s worst conflict zone. Moscow has lost authority over the territory—but no one else has gained it.
Islam may not have been the primary motivation behind the Tsarnaev brothers’ bombing in Boston; what they wanted was to make headlines.
Chechnya is outwardly much more quiet than in previous years, but a low-level Islamist insurgency continues in and around the region that takes dozens of lives each year.
There is little Russia could have done to help the United States prevent the Boston bombings, but Washington and Moscow should restart and enhance international antiterrorist cooperation.
It seems that Russia is not ready to face new and diverse threats and challenges in international security. Instead, it gives priority to preparations for war with the United States and NATO.