Analysis

This listing contains all the analytical materials posted on the Russia Matters website. These include: RM Exclusives, commissioned by Russia Matters exclusively for this website; Recommended Reads, deemed particularly noteworthy by our editorial team; Partner Posts, originally published by our partners elsewhere; and Future Policy Leaders, pieces by promising young scholars and policy thinkers. Content can be filtered by genre and subject-specific criteria and is updated often. Gradually we will be adding older Recommended Reads and Partner Posts dating back as far as 2011.
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Why Back-Channels With Russia Cost Michael Flynn His Job

Richard A. Moss February 14, 2017
There are many differences between the successful Nixon-era contacts and Michael Flynn’s less than successful attempt.
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Why Trump Is Right on Russia

Anatol Lieven February 14, 2017 Recommended Reads
Recent policy failures suggest that cooperation with Russia is unavoidable.
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The ABCs of Russian Military Power: A Primer for the New Administration

Michael Kofman February 02, 2017 Recommended Reads
Russia has been busy restoring its military power, and these reforms have serious implications for the new U.S. administration.
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Trump Doesn’t Know What He Doesn’t Know About Foreign Policy

Stephen Walt January 08, 2017 Recommended Reads
Foreign policy is only one factor for measuring a president, and Trump’s early foreign policy actions do not inspire confidence.
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A Blueprint for Donald Trump to Fix Relations with Russia

Graham Allison and Dimitri K. Simes December 18, 2016 Recommended Reads
Russia today offers the new U.S. administration both a challenge and a significant opportunity, both of which need to be taken seriously, as Russia’s choices have profound impacts on U.S. interests and global issues.
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Russia’s Role in the US Elections: The Case for Caution

George Beebe December 16, 2016
Despite Moscow’s clear preference for the Republican presidential candidate and forensic data traceable back to Russia, the U.S. must act with caution in order to avoid falling into the same traps it found itself in over a decade ago.
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Looking for U.S.-Russian Cooperation? Try Asia

Jeffrey Mankoff December 12, 2016 RM Exclusives
U.S.-Russian ties in Asia have long been underdeveloped, but also far less contentious than in Europe. Maybe now is the time to focus eastward and help Moscow balance between Washington and Beijing.
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Nuclear War is No Longer "Unthinkable" for Russia

Nikolas K. Gvosdev December 07, 2016 Partner Posts
The newly-released "Foreign Policy Concept" of the Russian Federation contains some interesting changes and updates. Given that this document reflects the Kremlin's strategic mindset and how it views international relations, it is important to take what is says seriously.
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The Trump Administration and Nuclear Arms Control Treaties

Steven Pifer December 02, 2016 Recommended Reads
Before backing away from any arms control agreements, the Trump administration should consider the consequences for U.S. national security. For one thing, the recommendations could prompt a new arms race—and give Russia a big head-start.
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Putin Didn't Undermine the Election—We Did

Katrina vanden Heuvel November 29, 2016
Anything Russia may have done to discredit the legitimacy of U.S. democracy and presidential elections pales in comparison to the damage America itself has done.
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Small Steps or Grand Bargains?

Angela Stent November 28, 2016 Recommended Reads
A leading expert gives her thoughts on the future of U.S.-Russia relations under President-elect Donald Trump.
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Trump Marks the End of America as World’s ‘Indispensable Nation’

Robert Kagan November 19, 2016 Recommended Reads
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is uninterested in taking up the burden the U.S. has born for 70 years of assuring global order. 
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