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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US Unlikely to Unravel Robust Russia-China Ties

Sergey Radchenko May 29, 2025 RM Exclusives
Washington needs to decide whether it would benefit more from seeing the Russians forced into the Chinese embrace, or from tempting Russia away from China through political and economic incentives.
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Spheres of Influence: Will a New 'Yalta' Conference Carve Up the World?

Monica Duffy Toft March 25, 2025 Partner Posts
Monica Duffy Toft argues that as the United States renounces its role as a global stabilizer in international affairs, it is reshaping global geopolitics in the image of nineteenth-century "spheres of influence" alongside Russia and China.
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Putin's Preventive War: The 2022 Invasion of Ukraine

Barry R. Posen March 01, 2025 Recommended Reads
MIT political scientist Barry R. Posen argues the strategic rationale for Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine was preventive war, an illegal but historically common way for declining great powers to engage a near-term perceived threat to their security.
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No Limits? The China-Russia Relationship and U.S. Foreign Policy

Robert D. Blackwill, Richard Fontaine January 27, 2025 Partner Posts
China and Russia aim to reshape the global order, opposing U.S.-led alliances and values while fostering a world dominated by authoritarian powers. Though the challenge is immense, the U.S. and its allies, with superior economic and military strength, must unite with purpose and resolve to ensure Europe and Asia remain free of hostile domination.
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The China-Russia Relationship and Threats to Vital US Interests

Patricia M. Kim, Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, Angela Stent, Tara Varma December 16, 2024 Partner Posts
China’s support for Russia fuels its war in Ukraine, while their growing alignment challenges U.S. leadership and the rules-based international order. Despite mistrust and differing interests, the U.S. must counter their partnership by addressing shared goals, limiting Beijing’s support for Moscow, and competing effectively in the Global South.
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The Image of China in Russian Public Opinion

Denis Volkov December 12, 2024 Partner Posts
Public opinion in Russia increasingly sees China as a great power and a friendly nation, with positive perceptions surging to record highs since 2022. However, underlying concerns about dependence on China and a desire for normalized relations with the West hint at potential future shifts in this alliance.
Competing Views on Russia

Mike Waltz on Russia and Ukraine

Dasha Zhukauskaite, Angelina Flood December 09, 2024 RM Exclusives
U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz, who has been tapped by Trump to serve as his national security adviser, has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration’s handling of the Ukraine war, advocating for clearer “red lines” and stronger deterrence against Russian escalation.
Competing Views on Russia

Marco Rubio on Russia and Ukraine

Simon Saradzhyan, Angelina Flood November 15, 2024 RM Exclusives
Donald Trump has tapped the Florida senator for the position of Secretary of State. Check out our compilation of Rubio's views on Russia, Ukraine and more.
Competing Views on Russia

Trump on Russia: In His Own Words

RM Staff October 10, 2024 RM Exclusives
From 2016 to 2024, check out our newly updated compilation of Donald Trump's views on Russia, Ukraine, nuclear arms and much more.
explainer

How Western Curbs on Russian Oil Revenue Benefit China

Paul Saunders, Harry Stevens October 03, 2024 RM Exclusives
Western attempts to hit Russia's oil and gas industry in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine have saved China nearly $16 billion between March 2022 and June 2024 by purchasing Russia’s oil and fuel exports at below-market prices.
research paper

Will a Ceasefire Remain Elusive? Assessing Negotiation Readiness in Russia-Ukraine War

Marat Atnashev, Arvid Bell September 25, 2024 RM Exclusives
In the current phase of the war, the strategies of key parties—Ukraine, Russia, NATO, China and others—are predominantly shaped by their “best alternative to a negotiated agreement” (BATNA), rather than a thorough exploration of each other’s underlying interests.
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Comparing Pathways to Peace in Ukraine

Masha Hedberg August 30, 2024 RM Exclusives
How can the war in Ukraine end? Is a negotiated settlement possible? If so, what would it take to achieve it? This review of 25 peace proposals examines the range of options on the table and assesses their viability as effective blueprints for ending the war.
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