Carnegie Moscow Center
Following Putin’s re-election, Russia faces two more key junctures that could shape the country’s future. The Kremlin will have to deal with limited revenues and it faces another election cycle in 2016-18.
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.
The formation of a Russian Special Operations Command is meant to counteract any threats that an increasingly volatile Syria and an unstable Afghanistan will pose to the Russian state.
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.
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.
Since the Arab Spring first broke out in December 2011, Russian policymakers have viewed regional developments with unease. They now wonder what rising Islamist parties in the Middle East will mean for Russia's relationship with its own Muslim minority.
The Russian government’s ability to resolve a host of problems in its preparations for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games will be a decisive factor in shaping its reputation at home and abroad.
In order for the EU to have a successful policy toward its biggest neighbor, Europeans must understand the recent changes that have taken place in Russia and their implications for the country’s future.
Russia has embarked on its own “pivot” toward China, but it is far from certain that Moscow will find Beijing a comfortable partner.
For the foreseeable future, the Commonwealth of Independent States should remain Russia’s significant foreign policy priority. Its policies toward individual CIS countries will be shaped by Russian leaders’ practical interests and needs, and also by the changing environment.