Shared Interests

Mark Brzezinski: It is unlikely that there is a Kremlin “master plan” guiding Russia’s actions toward her neighbors - her actions are driven variably by ambition and nostalgia, confusion or misinterpretation, irritation or resentment. The West’s goal should be to make Russia understand that working together with the US and EU will make it more prosperous, secure and free. A speech on Russia by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice the week before last conveyed a key point: Russia's own integration into the world - a highly desirable objective - is jeopardized if at the same time Moscow has a policy of crushing democratic development along Russia's borders. This approach might have had a positive effect even three years ago. That was before Kremlin became dismissive of Russia's need for membership in the WTO but long after... [read full story]