Home |
Site Index |
FAQs |
Contact |
RSS
|
Podcast
home > the cfr think tank > experts > stephen sestanovich
George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies
Contact Info:
Phone: +1-202-518-3454
E-mail: ssestanovich@cfr.org
Location:
Washington, DC
Media downloads:
One-page bio (PDF, 43K)
Video clip (MP4, 1.3 MB)
Former ambassador-at-large and special adviser to the secretary of state for policy toward the states of the former Soviet Union. Directed the Council-sponsored Independent Task Force that produced the report Russia’s Wrong Direction: What the United States Can and Should Do.
Expertise:Russia and the former Soviet Union; Caucasus and Central Asia; U.S. foreign policy.
Experience:Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Professor in the Practice of International Diplomacy, Columbia University (2001-present); Ambassador-at-large and Special Adviser to the Secretary for the new independent states, U.S. Department of State (1997-2001); Vice President for Russian and Eurasian Affairs, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (1994-97); Director of Soviet and East European Studies [Russian and Eurasian Studies after 1991], Center for Strategic and International Studies (1987-94); Senior Director for Policy Development, National Security Council (1985-87); Director of Political-Military Affairs, National Security Council (1984-85); member, policy planning staff, U.S. Department of State (1981-84); Senior Legislative Assistant for Foreign Policy, office of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1980-81); Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science, Columbia University (1979-80); Assistant Professor of Political Science, graduate faculty, The New School for Social Research (1978-80).
Languages:Russian, German, and Spanish (familiar).
Selected Publications:Russia’s Wrong Direction: What the United States Can and Should Do, Report of an Independent Task Force (Council on Foreign Relations Press, 2006).
Current Research Projects
Past Research Project
February 27, 2008
| Speakers: | Charles A. Kupchan, Senior Fellow and Director of Europe Studies, Council on Foreign Relations Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Council on Foreign Relations |
|---|
Transcript
Stephen R. Sestanovich and Charles A. Kupchan discuss the state of the upcoming Russian elections and what the results might mean for the future.
See more in Russian Fed., Elections
February 27, 2008
| Speaker: | Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Council on Foreign Relations |
|---|---|
| Presider: | Charles A. Kupchan, Senior Fellow for Europe Studies, Council on Foreign Relations |
Audio
Listen to CFR Senior Fellow Stephen Sestanovich discuss the upcoming presidential elections in Russia and the recent declaration of independence by Kosovo.
See more in Russian Fed., Kosovo, Elections
February 26, 2008
Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies interviewed by Bernard Gwertzman, Consulting Editor
Interview
Stephen Sestanovich, CFR’s top Russia expert, says despite the stage-managed appearance of Russia’s political transition, jockeying among power factions is taking place behind the scenes.
See more in Russian Fed., Elections
February 22, 2008
| Speakers: | Edward Lucas, Author, "The New Cold War: Putin's Russia and the Threat to the West" Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow, Russian and Eurasia Studies, Council on Foreign Relations |
|---|---|
| Presider: | Jack F. Matlock, Jr., Adjunct Professor of International Relations, Columbia University |
Transcript
Speakers discuss the current situations in Russia ahead of upcoming presidential elections.
See more in Russian Fed., Elections
December 17, 2007
| Author: | Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies |
|---|
Op-Ed
Wall Street Journal
See more in Europe/Russia, Economics, Business & Foreign Policy, Geoeconomics
December 11, 2007
Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies interviewed by Bernard Gwertzman, Consulting Editor
Interview
Stephen Sestanovich, CFR’s top Russia expert, says President Vladimir Putin’s choice for a successor, Dmitri Medvedev, is a relative “liberal.”
See more in Russian Fed., Elections
November 30, 2007
| Author: | Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies |
|---|
Op-Ed
International Herald Tribune
Stephen Sestanovich writes that "you have to go back to Nikita Khrushchev to find a Russian leader using the pungent anti-Western rhetoric that Putin has made the staple of his campaign."
See more in Russian Fed.
October 24, 2007
Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies interviewed by Bernard Gwertzman, Consulting Editor
Interview
Stephen Sestanovich, CFR’s top Russia expert, says President Vladimir Putin seems to be enjoying keeping the world guessing as to whether he will seek to become prime minister of Russia.
See more in Russian Fed., Elections, Economic Development, Treaties
July 3, 2007
Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies interviewed by Bernard Gwertzman, Consulting Editor
Interview
Stephen Sestanovich, CFR’s top Russia expert, says the informal summit at Kennebunkport, Maine, restored nuclear issues as “the core of the relationship.”
See more in Russian Fed., Trade, Missile Defense
June 1, 2007
| Speakers: | Charles A. Kupchan, CFR Senior Fellow, Former Director for European Affairs, National Security Council Stephen Sestanovich, CFR Senior Fellow, Former Ambassador At Large and Special Adviser on Russian Issues to the Secretary of State Gene B. Sperling, CFR Senior Fellow, Former National Economic Council Director |
|---|---|
| Presider: | Edward Alden, CFR Bernard Schwartz Fellow |
Transcript
CFR Senior Fellows Charles A. Kupchan, Stephen Sestanovich, and Gene B. Sperling brief the press on the upcoming G8 Summit.
See more in Climate Change, International Organizations
May 17, 2007
| Author: | Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies |
|---|
Testimony
See more in Russian Fed., Grand Strategy
Updated: March 2007
| Authors: | Jack Kemp, Former Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies |
|---|
Academic Module
Since the end of the Cold War, successive American administrations have sought to create a relationship with Russia that they called a “partnership.” This report asserts that this is the right long-term goal, but it is unfortunately not a realistic prospect for U.S.-Russia relations over the next several years. This report is also available in Russian.
See more in United States, Russian Fed., U.S. Strategy and Politics
January 24, 2007
| Author: | Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies |
|---|
Op-Ed
The Washington Post
See more in United States, Iraq, Defense Strategy, Wars and Warfare, U.S. Strategy and Politics, Foreign Policy History, Grand Strategy
December 24, 2006
| Author: | Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies |
|---|
Op-Ed
The Washington Post
See more in Central/Eastern Europe
October 4, 2006
Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies interviewed by Bernard Gwertzman, Consulting Editor
Interview
Stephen Sestanovich, a Clinton administration expert on the former Soviet Union, says the crisis between Russia and Georgia plays to deep-seated fears in both countries and could build to the point where confrontations are not fully controlled.
See more in Georgia, Russian Fed.
July 13, 2006
| Author: | Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies |
|---|
Op-Ed
The Washington Post
See more in Russian Fed., International Organizations, Public Diplomacy
July 7, 2006
| Speakers: | Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Council on Foreign Relations; Director, CFR Independent Task Force on U.S. Policy Toward Russia David G. Victor, Adjunct Senior Fellow for Science and Technology, Council on Foreign Relations; Director, CFR Independent Task Force on Energy and U.S. Foreign Policy Steven Simon, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies, Council on Foreign Relations |
|---|
Transcript
CFR experts outlined issues to be addressed at the upcoming G8 summit in St. Petersburg, including U.S.-Russia relations, the role of Russia in the G8, energy security, Iran, and North Korea.
See more in Russian Fed., International Organizations
June 29, 2006
| Author: | Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies |
|---|
Testimony
See more in Russian Fed., Energy Security, Public Diplomacy
May 25, 2006
| Speakers: | Charles A. Kupchan, Senior Fellow and Director for Europe Studies, Council on Foreign Relations Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian, Council on Foreign Relations |
|---|---|
| Presider: | Ray Takeyh, Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies, Council on Foreign Relations |
Transcript
Charles Kupchan, Stephen Sestanovich, and Ray Takeyh discuss the motivations of Europe, Russia, the United States, and Iran to negotiate Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Europe is interested in seeking consensus and unity for peace, while Russia seeks to “redeem” a rogue state and bolster its own status. The United States wants to prevent a nuclear Iran at all costs, and Iran desires recognition of its power and culture.
See more in Iran, Proliferation
May 25, 2006
| Speakers: | Charles A. Kupchan, Senior Fellow and Director for Europe Studies, Council on Foreign Relations Stephen Sestanovich, George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Council on Foreign Relations |
|---|---|
| Presider: | Ray Takeyh, Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies, Council on Foreign Relations |
Audio
See more in Iran, Proliferation
Climate change poses threats to national security in a number of ways. In this report, sponsored by the Center for Geoeconomic Studies, Joshua W. Busby offers specific recommendations for confronting this important issue, including a list of "no-regrets" policies.
This report, by International Affairs Fellow Michelle D. Gavin and sponsored by the Center for Preventive Action, surveys the current situation in Zimbabwe and proposes steps that can increase the likelihood that regime change, when it comes, will bring constructive reform instead of conflict and state collapse.
Complete list of Council Special Reports.
For more information on the David Rockefeller Studies Program, contact:
Gary Samore
Vice President, Director of Studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg Chair
+1-212-434-9627
gsamore@cfr.org
Sebastian Mallaby
Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for
Geoeconomic Studies, Deputy Director of Studies, and Paul A. Volcker Senior
Fellow for International Economics
smallaby@cfr.org
Janine Hill
Deputy Director of Studies Administration
+1-212-434-9753
jhill@cfr.org
The David Rockefeller Studies Program is the Council’s “think tank.” Its work is integral to achieving the Council’s goal of contributing to the foreign policy debate. Fellows in the Studies Program do this by researching, writing, and commenting on the most important challenges facing the United States and the world.
Copyright 2008 by the Council on Foreign Relations. All Rights Reserved.
