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.

A cease-fire agreement in Syria may not be the turning point its international backers have claimed it is, says expert Noah Bonsey.

The unexpected convergence of the United States and Russia over Syria’s chemical weapons is likely to be strained by delays in the disarmament process, says expert Nicolas Gvosdev.

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.

The mass protests in Russia challenging the parliamentary vote reflect increasing hostility to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and have the potential to change Russian politics in a fundamental way, sa…