Interviewee: Andrew Kuchins, Director, Russia and Eurasia Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Interviewer: Lee Hudson Teslik, Associate Editor, CFR.org
September 29, 2008
When Russia sent troops into the Georgian breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia this summer, China's response was decidedly nuanced. While expressing tacit support for Russian military operations in the territories, Beijing refused to recognize either South Ossetia or Abkhazia as sovereign countries, derailing Moscow's plans to swing regional partners behind the provinces' declarations of independence. Andrew Kuchins, director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, recounts recent conversations with high-level Russian officials including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitri Medvedev. He says Putin said the incidents surrounding the Russia-Georgia conflict would in no way slow the broadening of relations between Moscow and Beijing, but adds that the prime minister's tone sounded "a little bit defensive, at the least."
More broadly, Kuchins warns that the United States should prioritize improving relations with Russia, noting that a faltering relationship between Moscow and Washington could lead to an expansion of Chinese influence: "If there is a significant downturn in the U.S.-Russian relationship-and I do fear that we're on the verge of a train wreck-the Chinese will be right there to geopolitically and economically take advantage of some of the fallout from that." He suggests remembering the kind of "triangular diplomacy" that Henry Kissinger pioneered during the Nixon administration. He says the risk of actual war breaking out between the United States and Russia, while still quite small, is non-negligible at this point, and that "that's just unreasonably high of a risk to take," given the stakes.
Terms of Use: I understand that I may access this audio and/or video file solely for my personal use. Any other use of the file and its content, including display, distribution, reproduction, or alteration in any form for any purpose, whether commercial, noncommercial, educational, or promotional, is expressly prohibited without the written permission of the copyright owner, the Council on Foreign Relations. For more information, write outreach@cfr.org.
Saudi Arabia on the Edge
A leading Middle East scholar pens this "good introduction to the Saudi paradox of social change and political stability and an invaluable guide to the challenges the country faces." More
American Force
An investigation of the use of American force since the end of the Cold War. More
The Struggle for Egypt
A sweeping account of Egypt in the modern era: what Egypt is, what it stands for, and its relation to the world. More
Saudi Arabia in the New Middle East
Gause posits that, though the Arab Awakening has caused tensions in Saudi-American relations, the two countries do not face a crisis and still have significant mutual interests that should be prioritized.
Partners in Preventive Action
The authors assess the strengths and weaknesses of international institutions and provide a set of practical recommendations for how the United States can strengthen the global architecture for preventive action by partnering with those organizations.
Print
Email
Share