Robert E. Hunter, who was U.S. ambassador to NATO during the Clinton administration, says he does not expect NATO foreign ministers to enlarge the alliance to include Georgia or Ukraine at the next meeting in December.

Steven Pifer, an expert on Russian affairs and former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, says U.S.-Russia relations have "deteriorated significantly" since their high point just after 9/11. The next U.S. administration should return to negotiations on limiting strategic arms and other areas of mutual interest, he says.

Robert E. Hunter, a former U.S. Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, says Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili miscalculated by sending troops into South Ossetia in mid-August, but in the end, "Russia is the loser here."

F. Stephen Larrabee, an expert on NATO and Eastern Europe, says Russia's invasion of Georgia was an effort to limit "Western influence into the former Soviet space."

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.

Stephen Sestanovich, CFR's top Russia expert, says that after two months as Russia's new president, Dmitri Medvedev "has not replaced Putin as president. He's only assumed the title."

Elizabeth Fuller, an expert on Georgian affairs, says Russia may be promoting joint states as a solution to some frozen conflicts in its sphere of influence.

Russian analyst Andrei A. Piontkovsky says the next U.S. president could face a more conciliatory policy from the Kremlin and new Russian President Dmitri Medvedev.

Charles A. Kupchan, professor of international affairs at Georgetown University, says the just-concluded NATO summit illustrates the changes taking place in the alliance, where it will become increasingly difficult to reach agreements on issues.

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.

Elizabeth Fuller, an expert on Georgian affairs for RFE/RL, says Georgia’s president faces significant problems despite his apparent win in recent presidential elections.

Stephen Sestanovich, CFR’s top Russia expert, says President Vladimir Putin’s choice for a successor, Dmitri Medvedev, is a relative “liberal.”

Elizabeth Fuller, an expert on Georgian affairs for RFE/RL, says the large protests in Georgia challenge Western notions that President Mikheil Saakashvili is a “model democrat.”

Andrew C. Kuchins, an expert on Russia, says Russian officials are working hard to “to talk the Iranians down and out of a nuclear weapons program” despite worsening U.S.-Russian relations.

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.

Stephen Sestanovich, CFR’s top Russia expert, says the informal summit at Kennebunkport, Maine, restored nuclear issues as “the core of the relationship.”

Charles A. Kupchan, CFR’s top European expert, says the just-concluded G8 conference in Germany was notable for the clear effort of Presidents Putin and Bush to put aside their sharp differences on European missile defense. Kupchan also noted the compromise worked out by Bush with the European Union states on climate control issues. For that, Kupchan says, Bush deserves some credit for avoiding confrontations, and his seeming willingness to reach accords.

Timothy J. Colton, a leading expert on Russia, says even though Vladimir Putin will step down as president in 2008 he is likely to maintain a major role in Russia’s leadership.

Philip K. Verleger Jr., an energy policy expert, says meetings of natural gas exporting countries in Qatar are not likely to be very significant in short term, but in time “could be very significant.”

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.