Realism about the Obama Doctrine

by Diana L. Ohlbaum “Speak loudly and carry a small stick.” That pretty much sums up the advice provided by a steady stream of withering critics of President Obama’s foreign policy. Spurred by off-the-cuff remarks the president made at a… Continue Reading →

Russia, China Finally Sign $400 Billion Energy Deal: Why Now?

by Sara Vakhshouri After almost a decade of negotiations, Moscow reached a 400 billion dollar energy deal with Beijing yesterday, allowing the Russian state-controlled Gazprom to export gas to China for 30 years. The key agreement guarantees long-term market access… Continue Reading →

Leon Wieseltier Rewrites the Very Recent Past in Ukraine

by Derek Davison This Monday marked the end of a five-day conference (May 15-19) in Kiev, called “Ukraine: Thinking Together,” organized by The New Republic and specifically its literary editor, Leon Wieseltier. The conference press release promised that “an international group… Continue Reading →

Why Russia Hasn’t Played Spoiler to the Iran Nuclear Talks

by Mark N. Katz U.S.-Russian relations have sharply deteriorated, to put it mildly, over Ukraine in recent months. There has been widespread talk about the re-emergence of a new Cold War between Washington and Moscow. Indeed, some have even argued that… Continue Reading →