Georgia is strategically important to the United States in the war on terror and an indispensable transit point for energy supplies between Asia and Europe. Though the country’s November 2003 “revolution of roses” is the most positive event to have occurred in the countries of the former Soviet Union in more than a decade, Georgia is entering an unstable period of transition as its new government tries to promote national coherence among the country’s ethnic groups and takes steps to dismantle the corrupt power structure that thrived under former president Eduard Shevardnadze. This timely report, written by an expert on conflict prevention in the Caucasus, recommends steps the United States and the international community can to take to bolster President Mikhail Saakashvili as well as moves his government should make in the short and long term.

Concerns about global wheat supplies are sparking fears that price inflation in the wheat market could lead to a food crisis akin to the one in 2008, says CFR's Laurie Garrett.

Russia's inaction in response to Kyrgyzstan's ethnic violence reflects a deeper problem with international cooperation, writes CFR's Stephen Sestanovich.

The Kremlin and the Obama administration have signaled a desire to work toward a more cooperative U.S.-Russia relationship. But CFR Fellow Jeffrey Mankoff says Russian sensitivity over its "near abroad" will continue to threaten progress.

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.

With the U.S. Senate set to consider ratification of President Obama's new nuclear nonproliferation strategy, four experts assess the strengths and weaknesses of the New START agreement.

The arrest of ten alleged Russian agents in U.S. suburbs raises questions about the nature of spying in the twenty-first century. Former U.S. spies discuss the enduring need for intelligence collected by humans and the motives for this latest round of espionage.

As global leaders scramble to find a solution to the Russia-Georgia conflict, five experts weigh in with possible solutions.

The signing of a new strategic nuclear agreement with Russia bolsters U.S. president Barack Obama's diplomatic credentials and opens a new chapter on arms control, but domestic political challenges await, says CFR's Charles Kupchan.

The suicide attacks in Moscow, whether or not the work of North Caucasus extremists, are a reminder that Russia must work to reform local administration, promote economic development, and end abuses by security forces in the region while cracking down on extremists, writes CFR Russia expert Jeffrey Mankoff.

This timeline looks at the history of U.S.-Russia arms control milestones from 1949 to present.

New plans for another global summit on the Syrian crisis represent modest progress, but the real question is whether the Kremlin is willing to withdraw support for the Assad regime, says CFR's Stephen Sestanovich.

Moscow and Washington share a number of significant interests that require cooperation, despite heightened bilateral tensions over human rights issues, says former U.S ambassador Jack F. Matlock, Jr.

The passage of a new trade bill that takes aim at Russia's human rights record could complicate the Obama administration's efforts to improve U.S-Russian relations, says CFR's Stephen Sestanovich.

The trial of a punk band in Russia reflects the Putin regime's hard-line opinions on political dissent, and those views are shaping its foreign policy, says CFR's Stephen Sestanovich.

Russian President Putin, mistrustful of Western motives, is likely to resist pressure to commit to stronger sanctions against Syria's government, says expert Dimitri Simes.

Vladimir Putin's Middle East trip was an effort to explain policies on Iran and Syria that have put it at odds with Israel and many Arab states, says CFR's Stephen Sestanovich.

The weekend massacre near Houla that has galvanized international outrage may spark a stronger Russian stand against the Assad regime, says Syria expert Mona Yacoubian.

Vladimir Putin's third term as Russia's president could be characterized by greater political competition and middle-class opposition domestically, along with mixed relations with the United States, says CFR expert Stephen Sestanovich.

The emerging BRICS economies agree that the West should hold less sway in the global economy. But their leaders, despite regular summits, have failed to articulate a coherent vision because of divergent interests, says journalist Martin Wolf.