Medvedev’s Critique of Ethnic Nationalism

By James Kimer | Published: September 16, 2011

Dmitry Medvedev recently gave a speech which addressed his vision of modern society, emphasizing the increasing complexity, social and cultural diversity, and the impact of networks in the information age. The problem he says Russia will face: how to navigate ethnic conflict with tolerance rather than hate.

» Read More

Russia’s Competing Visions of Diversity

By James Kimer | Published: September 13, 2011

A Good Treaty has published a blog post responding to Ellen Barry’s New York Times piece commenting on a recent speech given by Dmitry Medvedev at the Yaroslavl Global Policy Forum.  Contrasting his comments with the hardline “rejection of multiculturalism” as sprouted by Ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin in a speech earlier in the day, […]

» Read More

Prokhorov Gets a Reminder of His Limits

By James Kimer | Published: September 9, 2011

The Financial Times is reporting that Mikhail Prokhorov’s bank has just gotten the BP treatment: Masked police on Thursday entered the Moscow headquarters of a bank part-owned by a billionaire oligarch and leader of a liberal political party that is contesting elections in December. The masked police drove up to the bank, MFK, in which […]

» Read More

In Russian Arctic Deal, Will Exxon Be Luckier than BP?

By James Kimer | Published: August 30, 2011

It’s an odd sight to catch Exxon CEO Rex Tillerman smiling and shaking hands with Vladimir Putin after signing a $500 billion oil exploration deal in Arctic waters (actually, the deal will start with just $3.2b, but Putin enjoys projections).  After all, it wasn’t that long ago when we saw similar photos of BP’s Bob […]

» Read More

Anti-Russia Sentiment on the Rise in Arab World

By James Kimer | Published: August 29, 2011

Australian newspaper The National has a summary translation of a column published in Al Hayat: Russia’s less-than-enthusiastic stance on the Arab Spring, and its high tolerance for repressive Arab regimes, raise many questions about Moscow’s real interests in the region, wrote Abdullah Iskandar, managing editor of the pan-Arab newspaper Al Hayat, in a column yesterday. […]

» Read More

Video: Boko Haram Suspected in UN Bombing in Abuja

By James Kimer | Published: August 26, 2011

News is just breaking of a terrible suicide bombing at a United Nations office in Abuja, Nigeria.  Reports state that 16-20 were killed and some 60 people injured when a suicide bomber drove a car packed with explosives into the reception doors of the building.  Police suspect that the radical Islamic group Boko Haram may […]

» Read More

Belkovsky on Putin’s Primaries and Opposition Strategy

By James Kimer | Published:

Stanislav Belkovsky is an odd duck. The reasons behind almost anything he says inspire the most lurid and counter-intuitive conspiracy theories, to the point that nobody really understands what he is up to. Nevertheless, he has some sharp words for the strategies of the opposition headed into the 2012 elections. He says you shouldn’t bother voting at all.

» Read More

Competitive Authoritarianism in Ukraine

By James Kimer | Published:

Andrew Wilson of the European Council on Foreign Relations has an interesting piece on RCW about Ukraine’s potential to develop prosperous trade links with Europe … if only they would put an end to the absurd show trial of Yulia Tymoshenko. Ukraine under Yanukovych is in danger of becoming what academics call a ‘competitive authoritarian’ […]

» Read More

The Assumptions of 1991

By James Kimer | Published: August 25, 2011

If you are like us, you’ve probably already read your fair share of thoughtful articles considering the 20th anniversary of the 1991 Soviet coup against Mikhail Gorbachev and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union. (If you are looking for a few more, this will do it) Writing in the Financial Times, former bureau chief […]

» Read More

Moscow Should Help Syria, Not Assad

By James Kimer | Published:

Writing in the Moscow Times, Omar al-Issawi of Human Rights Watch pleads his case to Moscow to show stronger support for the Syrian protesters. His article is well intentioned and filled with a number of reasonable and feasible policy suggestions, but it’s as though the author is living within a different reality.  Russia has been […]

» Read More