Simon Saradzhyan

Simon Saradzhyan is the founding director of Russia Matters and the assistant director of the U.S.-Russia Initiative to Prevent Nuclear Terrorism at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

Blog

Strong Support for Ceasefire in Russia and Ukraine, But to What End?

Simon Saradzhyan April 04, 2025

The Levada Center’s latest poll shows that a majority of Russians continued to support the launch of peace negotiations to end the Russian-Ukrainian war in March (

Blog

Why Was Russia Spared From Trump’s Tariffs?

Simon Saradzhyan April 03, 2025

Import tariffs, which U.S.

Blog

US Intel Sticks to View of Russia as Adversary Prepared to Pay ‘Very High Price’ to Prevail in Ukraine

Simon Saradzhyan March 27, 2025

“When the nation’s intelligence chiefs go before Congress ... to provide their first public ‘Worldwide Threat Assessment’ of President Trump’s second term, ...

Blog

Readouts of Trump-Putin Call Reaffirm Divergence of US, RF Views on Path to Peace

Simon Saradzhyan, Ivan Arreguín-Toft, Angelina Flood March 20, 2025

In his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which lasted two-and-a-half hours on M

Blog

3 Years Later: What Russia’s Aggression in Ukraine Has Cost It and What It’s Gained

Simon Saradzhyan, Ivan Arreguín-Toft, Angelina Flood February 24, 2025

Introduction

Is Vladimir Putin a rational actor who weighs costs and benefits before making a momentous decision, such as whether to invade another country?

Clues from Russian Views

Assad’s Fall: What Are the Costs for Russia?

Simon Saradzhyan December 09, 2024 RM Exclusives
The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria could impose a number of tangible geopolitical, reputational and even domestic security costs on Russia.
Blog

New Principles of Russia’s Nuclear Deterrence Liberalize Conditions for Use, Unsurprisingly

Simon Saradzhyan November 19, 2024

As widely expected, the Kremlin has unveiled the new edition of Russia’s official nuclear doctrine, “Basic Princ

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.
Blog

BRICS Overtook G-7 in Key Components of National Power—So What?

Simon Saradzhyan October 23, 2024

As Russian President Vladimir Putin hosts the first summit of BRICS+ in Tatarstan’s capita

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Poll: Majority of Russians Would Oppose Returning Land Even if Putin Decides To Return it as Part of Peace Deal

Simon Saradzhyan October 17, 2024

A majority of Russians would support ending hostilities and launching peace negotiations, according to the results of a September 2024 poll by Russia's