Carnegie Moscow Center
European and Russian experts discuss the key issues affecting Russia-Europe relations.
To counter the steep economic downturn in 2009, Russia enacted a stimulus package equivalent to almost 7 percent of GDP. The Kremlin's response was effective and its consequences lead Russia's relatively quick recovery.
Russian regions have been developing crises with economic, financial, social, and political facets. If not checked, some of these crises may grow to pose risks not only to the local area, but to the stability of the Russian government.
The current political system in Russia is a hybrid of democracy and authoritarianism, or an “overmanaged democracy,” where the elements of authoritarianism dominate democratic ones. The system seems stable on the surface, but is in fact very fragile.
The political system set up under Vladimir Putin's presidency is likely to remain in place for the foreseeable future, despite the impact of the global economic crisis and the aftershocks of the 2008 Georgia conflict.
Georgia’s nearly decade-long reforms and central geographical location between Europe and Asia make the country a valuable business and strategic partner for the West.
The international financial crisis may help sustain Russia's political and economic system in the short-term or it may usher in rapid change. Regardless, it is unsustainable in the long run.
Russia's economic dependence on declining oil revenues has prompted calls to diversify into other industries, but the first step to economic stability is diversification within the oil industry.
The past three months have been a turbulent time for the Russian Federation, marked by the Russia-Georgia conflict, global financial crisis, and U.S. presidential elections. Carnegie's Nikolai Petrov explains how the government’s response has illustrated that modernization from above will not occur in Russia.