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George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies
Contact Info:
Phone: +1-202-509-8454
E-mail: ssestanovich@cfr.org
Location:
Washington, DC
Updated: March 2007
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
July 2004
Article
Journal of Democracy
See more in Russian Fed.
Article
Journal of Democracy
Volume 15, Number 3, July 2004
Vladimir Putin has pursued an anti-pluralist strategy, remaking the balance of power in Russian politics to favor "force" (the coercive apparatus of the old state bureaucracy, especially the KGB) over "money" (those who gained new wealth after 1991, especially the "oligarchs"). Will this new balance endure? Business has many reasons — and increasing resources — for pursuing a larger political role. The future of Russian pluralism depends above all on the response of business interests to changing economic and political circumstances. Will they doubt their legitimacy and seek a protector — or ally with others to alter Putin's bureaucratic order?
June 30, 2009
Audio
Listen to CFR Experts Charles D. Ferguson and Stephen Sestanovich discuss the Obama-Medvedev summit.
February 25, 2009
Audio
Listen to experts debate topics such as how NATO should deal with Russia in the aftermath of the war in Georgia, the membership status of Ukraine and Georgia, President Medvedev’s proposal for a summit on European security, and others as part of the Council on Foreign Relations "NATO at 60" Symposium.
See more in Russian Fed., NATO, International Organizations
January 22, 2009
Audio
Listen to experts give insight into Russian foreign policy including the recent energy conflict and Russia's actions in the Caucasus region.
See more in Russian Fed., U.S. Strategy and Politics
August 11, 2008
Audio
Listen to CFR senior fellows discuss the ongoing conflict between Russia and Georgia.
See more in Georgia, Russian Fed.
February 27, 2008
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
May 25, 2006
Audio
See more in Iran, Proliferation
March 7, 2006
Audio
Listen to the chairs and the director of the Council-sponsored Independent Task Force on Russia present the findings of their report and discuss what is working-and what is not-in U.S.-Russian relations.
See more in Russian Fed., U.S. Strategy and Politics
August 12, 2008
Daily Opinion Roundup
In Tuesday's Roundup: Debate hits new low in Pakistan, Raul Castro redefines Socialism for the worse, and Georgia's gathering crisis.
November 25, 2008
Expert Brief
Russia's toughest economic challenge since the collapse of 1998 could lead it to a less confrontational foreign policy and a loss of international standing, writes CFR's Stephen Sestanovich.
See more in Russian Fed., Economic Development, Financial Crises
November/December 2008
Foreign Affairs Article — Summary
The next president will have to reassess the U.S.-Russian relationship and find the right balance between pushing back and cooperating.
See more in United States, Russian Fed.
July 1, 2009
Interview
CFR's top Russia expert, Stephen Sestanovich, says there is a potential for some hard bargaining to take place over arms control at the July 6-8 summit of U.S. and Russian leaders.
See more in Russian Fed., Defense/Homeland Security, U.S. Strategy and Politics
August 11, 2008
Interview
Stephen Sestanovich, CFR’s top Russia expert,says the fighting between Georgia and Russia is more a “war” than a “conflict,” and could have far-reaching consequences.
See more in Georgia, Russian Fed., Wars and Warfare
February 26, 2008
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
December 11, 2007
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
October 24, 2007
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
Explore the international finance regime with a new interactive from CFR's program on International Institutions and Global Governance.
Identifying international threats and acting on them may be the most difficult job for U.S. policymakers. This report
provides an actionable road map for managing international threats before they erupt into crises and makes a strong case that preventive action is not a luxury but a necessity.
For more than a decade, the United States has mostly watched from the sidelines as Asian countries organize themselves into an alphabet soup of new multilateral groups. In this report, the authors review the relationship between pan-Asian and trans-Pacific institutions and suggest policy guidelines for a new U.S. approach to this new Asian landscape.
Complete list of Council Special Reports
Start-Up Nation addresses the trillion-dollar question: How is it that Israel—a country of 7.1 million, only sixty years old, surrounded by enemies— produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada, and the UK? With the insights of geopolitical experts and investors, the authors examine this nation’s adversity-driven culture to answer this question and offer prescriptions for a global economy on the rebound.
In Forces of Fortune, Vali Nasr presents a paradigm-changing revelation that will transform the understanding of the Muslim world at large. He reveals that there is a vital but unseen rising force in the Islamic world—a new business-minded middle class—that is building a vibrant new Muslim world economy and that holds the key to winning the cold war against Iran and extremists.
In Cuba: What Everyone Needs to Know, Julia E. Sweig presents a remarkably accessible portrait of Cuba's unique place on the world stage over the past fifty years, including its internal politics, its often fraught relationship with the United States, and its shifting relationship with the global community.
Complete list of CFR Books
For more information on the David Rockefeller Studies Program, contact:
James M. Lindsay
Senior Vice President, Director of Studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg Chair
+1.212.434.9626 (NY); +1.202.509.8405 (DC)
jlindsay@cfr.org
Janine Hill
Deputy Director of Studies Administration
+1.212.434.9753
jhill@cfr.org
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