Narrative of Grievance

An editor at CNN’s AC360 blog talks with a group of Russia experts at AEI over Dmitry Medvedev’s view of Barack Obama:

Andrei Kortunov of the New Eurasia Foundation says “we destroyed the old foundations of the relationship and have not built new ones.” The two countries’ visions used to be compatible, he says: a linear movement toward a market economy but Russia’s vision has “changed dramatically.” Moscow’s leaders no longer believe a market economy and liberal democracy offer solutions to current problems. Trust is low on both sides and it cuts across political groups and social strata, Kortunov says. Other experts here put it more bluntly: throughout Russian society the U.S. now is perceived as “the enemy.” Vladimir Putin has a “narrative of grievance,” says another expert. “We’re back and if you don’t like it – tough!”